Training on your own and being able to stick to a high level of commitment on a regular basis is extremely tough, however, being accountable with both your fitness and diet will lead to quicker results, this is why training in a group environment works so well.
Social Benefits
Training in a group brings benefits you just don’t get when you exercise alone. Social benefits such as being included as part of a team, a feelgood factor from the camaraderie and group chat, becoming a recognised face and making friendships that extend outside of the group, all help to boost how good you feel during and after the session.
Physical benefits
My clients always tell me they train much harder when in group sessions. They are more motivated, energised and inspire each other. They regularly say they’d never work that hard individually.
Research has shown that group exercise increases pain tolerance so that performance is improved, this is thought to be down to feeling in sync with those around you, otherwise known as ‘behavioural synchrony’. This is also understood to improve team performances for footballers and rugby players who warm up with coordinated movements.
Training together to the beat of music when exercising in classes helps to create bonds in groups which then improves performance. Contact with others and social support in groups has shown to boost performance and improve commitment to ongoing attendance.
This has been proven over the years with our small six week body transformation groups, VersaClimber classes and our Beach Bootcamps.
If you find the thought of group exercise a bit daunting, choose a class that suits your personality. A more sedate pilates or yoga class for example may suit a more introverted personality type and may be less scary than a vigorous, high intensity group session. The benefits of group exercise in these sessions are still effective.
Our sessions are designed to suit all levels of fitness and there is no competition in any of our classes, meaning all of our sessions are inclusive and you work at your own pace. This is why Olympic athletes can train alongside absolute beginners. We also have families at Bootcamp, a perfect combination of a fab location, lovely environment and all working in a group together, is why our sessions are so popular, proving exercise can be a family affair. We also run specialist classes for 60 years and over where the physical and social interaction becomes even more important.
Forming healthy habits is critical to your health and wellbeing. Joining a group exercise class has been proven to boost performance and improve commitment to ongoing attendance.