Group Exercise: 4 Reasons why you should add it to your Cross Training Plan
Exercise has a plethora of positive impacts on our overall health and wellbeing, lowering our blood pressure, improving our glycemic control and helping us get better sleep - to name a few. Despite the seemingly endless list of benefits however, many people struggle with maintaining a regular exercise routine.
Time, motivation and pain are among the top reasons for skipping a workout. When you’re relying only on yourself, it’s easy to justify and accept any number of the excuses you come up with. If you’re struggling to push yourself to exercise, it may be time to try a different approach.
“When you’re relying only on yourself, it’s easy to justify any number of your own excuses.”
There are a variety of studies that look at the benefits of group exercise, and evidence demonstrating that people who work out in groups are better able to maintain a consistent routine, experiencing additional mental and physical exercise-related benefits.
In this article, we explore the benefits of group exercise and give you four reasons to try working out in a group.
1. Increased Social Support and Engagement
Whether you’re working out in a group as part of a sporting team or participating in a group fitness class, being in an environment where several people are experiencing the same thing builds a sense of camaraderie and community.
Humans are innately competitive and group settings encourage individuals to push themselves that little bit further, preventing you from self-inflicted stagnation and enabling you to continuously improve. Group exercise builds a support network of like minded individuals who will be there to celebrate your wins and lift you up when you’re feeling down.
2. Increased Adherence and Accountability
Motivation is perhaps the biggest obstacle to overcome when attempting to maintain a consistent exercise program, and as previously mentioned, when you’re relying only on yourself, it’s easy to make excuses. Perhaps it is a cold Winter’s morning calling you to stay in bed, or a long day at work inviting you to a night of Netflix on the couch. When you work out in a group however, you make a commitment to other people who will notice when you don’t show up.
“Motivation is perhaps the biggest obstacle you must overcome with consistent exercise...when you workout in a group, people notice when you don’t show up.”
Research shows that people who work out in groups spend significantly more time exercising than those who go at it alone. Additionally, group participants progress faster due to the additional intensity of healthy group competition. Exercising in a group takes your workouts to the next level, enhancing consistency, duration, motivation and inspiration.
3. Reduction in Stress and Improved Quality of Life
We already know that exercise reduces stress, but we may underestimate the impact that the added social element of group exercise has on our mental health. Group exercise is particularly effective for individuals who experience a high degree of stress on a regular basis whether at work or in their home lives.
“Group exercise helps you push past your self-imposed limitations and experience better results than you ever have before.”
The unique community built through a group exercise program enables individuals to place themselves in a setting that is completely external from their daily stresses, working through any mental and physical tensions they may have in a safe and healthy environment. Working out in such a community allows you to socialise with like-minded people that you may not have had the opportunity to meet in your day-to-day life. You will also improve and utilise your teamwork and communication skills, and enhance your self-esteem and confidence as you are encouraged to push past self-imposed limitations with others who are there to celebrate and support you.
4. Affordable Exercise with a Personal Touch
Group classes tend to be more affordable than one-on-one sessions, allowing a wider variety of individuals to access professional exercise instruction. Not all group exercise classes are created equal however, and we recommend smaller groups over large.
In large group fitness classes, instructors lack the ability to spend adequate time with each individual and ensure they are safely performing each exercise; this may cause you to question the value of the service you are paying for. Fitness levels are assumed, usually requiring participants to have already mastered proper technique, and have the core strength and stabilising muscles to correctly and safely participate. This discourages those who don’t meet the baseline and may result in either injury or a failure to engage and commit long term. Those who require more advanced exercises may find themselves bored or stagnating, which can be equally deterring.
“Smaller group classes enable instructors to tailor exercises to suit the needs and of all participants so you get better value for your money.”
For a more personal touch, small group classes are the way to go. For example, our pilates-based group physiotherapy classes are just $25 per class, with bulk buy packs making them even more affordable. We keep our class sizes relatively small, capping classes at six participants. This provides a more intimate vibe and enables our physiotherapists to take a hands-on approach that gives you more bang for your buck.
Getting Started with Pilates-Based Group Physiotherapy Classes
Group Physiotherapy has been clinically proven to be effective in the management of a variety of injuries and conditions including:
Musculoskeletal pain and injury
Rehabilitation after joint replacement surgery or sports injury
Stroke and other neurological conditions
Whether you are recovering from an injury or simply looking to improve your health and wellbeing in a social setting, our group physiotherapy classes are an excellent whole body fitness choice for improving your strength, balance, mobility and coordination. The small group environment allows our classes and each movement within them to be tailored to suit your specific goals and requirements.
Whether you’re just starting out, starting again, or looking for something new to add to your cross-training program, our pilates-based group physiotherapy supports both injury recovery and injury prevention, teaching you to understand your body, learn proper form and move better as a whole.
You don’t need to be flexible or at a certain fitness level to get started. What are you waiting for?