Let's face it--sometimes, motivating yourself to exercise alone feels like an uphill battle you have no chance of winning. But have you considered group exercising? While solo exercising has its merit, there is no denying that working out in a group has a wealth of advantages.
Exercise groups are growing in popularity in the fitness world. Joining one could completely transform your regular routine. Now, let's march forward and explore the benefits of group exercise that make it more beneficial than solo exercises.
Group Exercise Boosts Motivation
We all need a little motivation to get us off the couch and to the gym. A powerful motivator is accountability, and there is no better way to hold yourself accountable than group exercise. When you are exercising in a group, there is a sense of camaraderie that will encourage you to work your hardest.
Having others beside you keeps you motivated, making it more likely that you will not skip workouts so spontaneously. You are more likely to feel like answering the team if you do not show up.
Provides Variety to Your Workouts
As much as we all love what we are familiar with, it is never a good idea to stick to the same exercise routine all year round. Since you can hardly keep doing the same exercises every day of the week without getting bored, joining a fitness group will break up the monotony of the regular routine.
If, for instance, you normally do yoga, joining a group that does strength training would introduce new workouts that help to stretch different muscle groups. Additionally, doing so will keep your workouts fresh and help keep you engaged and motivated.
You Can Make New Friends & Connections
Group exercise is an excellent opportunity to meet new people and develop new friendships. You can also bond over something you all love. In turn, this will leave you with a stronger social connection. It is motivating to know that there are people around you who appreciate the same goals and struggles.
Once you feel like you belong to a community, it is easy to keep up your commitment to regular exercise.
Group Exercise Is Like Being Part of a Team
An extra benefit of group exercising is that being part of a “team,” you are more likely to push yourself and achieve workout goals you never thought possible through the idea of healthy competition.
Having others near you working out, people who are pushing through, pushing their limits, and possibly even doing something you can not do, will probably make you want to reach the same level. A workout with the group introduces friendly competition and pushes everybody to try harder.
Accountability Keeps You Honest
Sticking to a regular solo exercise routine can sometimes be challenging with temptations like sleeping in, choosing to relax at home instead, or even getting caught up in work. These types of temptations make it almost too easy to slip into your exercise regime.
Thus, this is where group exercising comes into play. The friendly competition and sense of community will keep you honest. When you have a group investing in your well-being, you are more likely to show up and ensure that your hard work does not go to waste.