I’ve been an athlete for most of my life and with that comes endless hours of training and practice. I played soccer for almost 13 years and competitive soccer for five of those years, so when I stopped, I continued to exercise. I was in a routine of working out with my practices that I felt like I needed to “fill the void” after I stopped playing. I stumbled upon group exercise classes one day, and my workout routine has never been the same since.
I LOVE group exercise classes. There’s something so motivating about working out with a bunch of other people and knowing that they’re feeling the same things that you are. Maybe it’s because I participated in team sports for most of my adolescence, but I find group exercise comforting because you know that you aren’t alone in your workout. During soccer practices and training sessions, my team would always break up into smaller groups and workout together that way. Then at the end of the session, we would all come together and work on some drills as a team. This is roughly the same concept as a group exercise. Depending on the class, you can go in and work on some exercises in small groups, as well as have the whole class come together and work on some moves. Obviously, during COVID times it’s practically impossible to run these group exercise classes in-person and have them so that everyone can split off into smaller groups, but the few in-person classes I’ve been to that run on this concept have been so fun and motivating!
Now, if you’re someone who’s shy about working out around others (and trust me, I used to be terrified), I can understand why group exercise classes might seem scary. Depending on your school or gym, some classes might be offered online! This is a great way to get started with group exercise because you don’t have to turn your camera on, and nobody has to see you working out. I found that when I started to try out the online classes offered at my school, I became way more confident in myself and less self-conscious. Trying out the online classes might help your confidence to the point where you want to try an in-person class (when they are open). Depending on your school or gym, there can be a variety of different classes to attend. Maybe one day you want to try yoga and another day you want to try a HIIT class. This is just another thing I love about group exercise. There are so many opportunities to branch out and try a new type of workout if you’re looking to change your normal routine.
Group exercise classes are also a great option if you’re someone who struggles to come up with your own workouts. Prior to trying group exercise, I used to struggle with figuring out how I wanted to exercise on certain days. I wouldn’t know where to start, what moves would be best for my body or how to finish off the workout. After attending a couple of classes, I found some exercises that I enjoyed and found challenging. Slowly but surely, I started incorporating some of these moves into my own workouts and now I would say I’m pretty confident when it comes to creating and developing some of my own personal exercise plans. If you’re looking to build upon your creativity when it comes to exercise, group exercise classes can definitely help guide you.
Group exercise classes are always so much fun, and the instructors are so motivating. It’s great to know that you’re not alone and it makes you feel included in a community. All in all, if there’s anyone out there looking to spice up their workout routine, I definitely recommend trying out a group exercise class!