Almost 40% of regular exercisers participate in group fitness classes. Group fitness was predicted to be one of the top three fitness industry trends in 2020 by the American College of Sports Medicine.
Noam Galai is an entertainment photographer.
The benefits of exercise are clear and the side effects are positive. Group exercising may have beneficial effects.
If you have been encouraged to join an online group class, here are some research-based reasons why that might be a good idea.
Everyone else is doing it.
Other people have influence on your attitudes and responses to exercise. They can affect how you feel about exercising, which is important for determining whether you do it or not. If you get to know others who exercise regularly, you will see exercise as more positive, common, desirable and doable.
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People are influenced by people around them in a number of different ways. Knowing other people who lift weights or take a spin class influences your attitudes about exercise.
It also makes you think about whether other people exercise and if you should.
It is fun with friends.
There are different kinds of motivation that can determine if you are successful at beginning and maintaining exercise, even if you have already decided exercising is something you want to do and intend to do. Exercising with others can increase motivation.
Intrinsic motivation is when you do something because it is enjoyable, satisfying or both. You are more likely to stick with exercise if you enjoy it and don't mind getting positive feelings after you work out. Even if the activity is difficult or not something you enjoy, exercising with other people can give you that enjoyment. Group exercise can turn into a fun social activity, which could lead to you continuing to do it.
Exercising together can help you stick to the program. Mark Makela is a news photographer.
Some psychological needs can be satisfied by exercising with others. Any kind of exercise can help someone feel in control of their choices, but the social support from a group can reinforce a sense of autonomy. Group exercise can increase feelings of mastery thanks to growing competence. It will increase your connection with others. People naturally choose to keep up fulfilling behaviors in the long term and they promote mental health.
If your motivation is not related to exercise, it will not feel as compelling. It is less likely that you will stick to a fitness regimen. The motivation to exercise is likely to disappear if the extrinsic factors go away, like you lose weight or don't care about the number on your scale.
People help make it a habit.
The whole process can be made easier by exercising with others. Your friends can be a cue for exercising.
It is a human tendency to model your behavior after people you see around you, and first you look to other people to learn how to do things. When you observe others exercising, you can begin to believe in your own ability to exercise. You may model your behavior after others. This is important for starting a new exercise routine, because if you don't believe in your ability to do it, you won't give it a try.
Some of the barriers to exercising can be removed by friends. A workout buddy can help with reminders and encouragement to exercise, hold you accountable, and even help with tangible logistics, like giving you a ride or sending links for class opportunities.
Don't discount the competitive urge. A friendly competition can help boost the intensity of your effort.
You don't have to spend a lot of energy forcing yourself to do habits, they're your default, preferred behavior. You do them consistently and frequently without using up all your strength. Exercise friends can help here as well. A friend texting that she will see you at the pool on your usual day could be a good cue for your habits.
Involvement in exercising with others can be a payoff that keeps exercise part of your daily routine.
The people in your group are an asset to you. Agence France-Presse via Getty Images
Staying with each other and exercising.
Individual exercise may not have some of the benefits that group exercise may have.
A more consistent and resilient exercise experience can be achieved by getting engaged in group exercise. People who attend more sessions, arrive on time, are less likely to drop out, are more resistant to disruption, and are more likely to have greater mental benefits from the exercise are the findings of past research. Since quitting exercise programs is common and disruptions can easily throw people off their exercise routine, getting involved with a group exercise class might be a good way to head off these problems.
When choosing an exercise group to join, consider how similar the other participants are to you. You are more likely to form a cohesive group with people you know, and these groups are more likely to stick together and continue exercising.
Group support is safely distant.
All the elements needed for a successful, enjoyable and active lifestyle can be provided by exercising with others. If you feel isolated by the Pandemic, now is the perfect time to try remote group exercise. If the weather cooperates, you can find a yoga class that meets outdoors with plenty of space between participants, or a running club that keeps its members out of sight.
Virtual classes can be used as a substitute for in-person group exercise classes. They might take a little more motivation to find and access, or to call for equipment you don't already have at home. Flexibility in schedule, diversity in activities and exercise types, and connecting with others who are far away are some of the benefits of remote classes.
The Conversation is a news site that shares ideas from academic experts. It was written by two people.
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The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
