People who work out have their reasons why we grind it out every week. Some do it for professional reasons, some for health reasons, others for their ego & vanity, others because they have to, others because they “need to”, and others because it becomes just another chore that MUST be done (like doing the dishes). Regardless of why you are working out, the fact that you are here, is a HUGE WIN in our book, so kudos there! Two things we know for sure, one is that around 75% of us are not getting enough exercise, and two is training in a group setting may be what you are missing. If you don’t enjoy working out by yourself, then a group fitness program is for you. Group fitness classes are fun, exciting, social, and are a great way to relieve the pressures and stress we all suffer through from “adulting” all day long.
#1 Motivation
Why are you training? What’s your motivation? You ask people that, and the overwhelming majority answer “I want to get in better shape” which is a humble and great enough reason indeed. So if you truly want to be in better shape physically, then remember that every time you think “well, maybe not today”. For most people, sometimes the fact that there is another person next to them will provide that extra motivation needed to finish and/or try their hardest. Humans always try harder when we are around each other.
There are only approximately 25% of people who possess the will and knowledge to work out by themselves. For the rest of us, we need some spice, not just weights and running. This is where Group Fitness Classes come in. The best group fitness classes will teach, lead, motivate and engage you. You will find the motivation to keep coming back to class once you find a good group fitness training program and teacher. May I suggest you check out our Adult Group Fitness Class, it’s a blast!
#2 Variety
A great truth about attending a group fitness class is the unlimited variety of activities and types of experiences that are available for you. Variety is good, it keeps life fresh. Most popular group fitness programs (and any group class worth its weight in salt), will program a diverse combination of tasks to accomplish each session, in a fun and super supportive environment. You should learn something new each time you train in a group fitness class, even if it is a small thing you learned. In our opinion, learning from new experiences is what keeps you young and fresh. Semper Doctrina (always learning).
There are a variety of different types of Group Fitness Classes. Below we would like to share several with you.
Bootcamp
The word Boot Camp to us means something completely different than what the “Fitness Boot Camps” are. Boot camp to us means to prepare. Prepare for what? Service and potentially war. This is why we try to never use the word boot camp. However, fitness boot camps are a great workout and are called such because of the higher intensity and speed (or tempo) of the session, compared to other types of a gym with group classes like Yoga for example.
You can expect to work on bodyweight exercises like push-ups, pull-ups, squats, lunges, and so on. There should also be a high intensity or longer lower intensity aspect for cardio, and any decent “boot camp” should have some sort of obstacle course design. Which usually means a circuit course with obstacle-like tasks, for example, box jump or rope climb. We at Hot Ground Gym® blend all of the before mentioned aspects, with weight training and circuit courses, but we integrate all of that into our indoor obstacle course. Our Force Fit™ class is the Military-Style “fitness boot camp” for you! Come check us out.
HIIT
The calorie scorcher. HIIT stands for High-Intensity Interval Training. It means that you do periods of high intensity, followed by a rest period, then repeated. The shorter the rest period is, the harder the workout is. These types of group fitness classes are great cardio training aspects and are usually attended by people who are already in at least somewhat decent shape because they can be very intense.
However, any fitness leveled person can attend HIIT classes, it will just be on the trainer to adjust the programming for different skill levels where needed, this is called scaling.….. You can plug and play so many different tasks while making a HIIT class, we love them! All in all, HIIT training is an absolute necessity for any fitness regiment. Don’t do this type every day, it will wear your body down, but do this type of training at least once a week. If HIIT interests you, come try our class for free, bet you’ll like it!
Circuit Training
Probably one of our favorite types of cardio group fitness classes. Circuit training means stations. You have several “stations” set up with different tasks, and you do one exercise after another till the station or round is completed. Circuit training is a big thing in the military. It’s used as a way to break up the monotony of running all the time. Circuit training is similar to HIIT since it usually has the time or task intervals, and is usually higher intensity as well. In fact, most HIIT classes are circuit courses. We at Hot Ground Gym® are huge fans of circuit training, and highly recommend you add this to your workouts.
Kickboxing
The word itself to us means punching, with your feet as well. However, cardio kickboxing should be called Kickbutting! It is the blending of martial arts and high-intensity cardio fitness, which makes it a challenging but fun workout. I mean you punch and kick, talk about stress relief to the MAX! Usually, this type of class is done on a punching bag or something similar. We call this “Pillow Fighting” since the class is punching and kicking the bags the whole time. But, make no mistake, this type of class is a butt-kicker for those who participate in them. Kickboxing is among the great cardio and strength group fitness classes.
Spin Class “Cycling”
If you have ever been to a big gym like L.A. Fitness or similar, then you have seen the spin class at least once. It looks intense! Well, it can be, but you also can go at your own pace. That's the beauty of riding a bike, you only go as fast as you want to.
“Spin” or Cycling is a group fitness training class that is a moderate-high intensity cardio workout that involves you riding a bike till you die! Just kidding, but you do pedal a lot. My first time, my legs and feet were sore for a day or so, it was great! If you have never attended a Cycling class before, do yourself a favor and try it once. It’s a great, lower impact but still high-intensity workout.
Pilates
Pilates is one of the original modernized group fitness classes. Its origins go back to the early 19th century and have had millions participate in it. This class is often compared to Yoga. While they do share balance and core strengthening aspects, Pilates’ use of different combinations of calisthenic high and low-intensity exercises combined with high repetition weight training, and other similar tasks. Pilates is another example of a great adult group fitness class.
Yoga
Yoga is number 1 on the top 5 list of the best adult group exercises classes, even bigger than Pilates. Most people are familiar with what Yoga is. Well, if you don’t know, Yoga uses different stretching poses and core strengthening postures to increase flexibility and strength. There are a lot of different variations of it. Some of the best fighters and athletes do Yoga to stay limber. If you have never tried it, now is the time. It is really fun and challenging.
#3 Proper Form Development
Working with a good group fitness class instructor will teach you the proper way to execute certain movements and to work out safely. Preventing injury is the first and foremost priority at Hot Ground Gym®. Crossfit has gotten a bad rap the last few years because so many novice students were injured trying to move Olympic weight into advanced positions with no proper instructions. But the problem is not Crossfit, it’s a great program and we are believers in most of what they teach. The problem is with the trainers/coaches. Being taught the correct and safe way to work out is the job of your instructor, remember that!
#4 Part of a Community
Most people feel more comfortable with others around them. Belonging to a group is the oldest pastime. This is a necessary element of team building. Belonging to a group fitness class boosts your confidence, widens your social circle, and opens you up to new possibilities with other people you may never have otherwise met. Some of our best friends we met training them, being trained by them, or training with them. The sense of “shared hardship” bonds people. So if you don’t belong to a “Fit Fam” yet, may we suggest you come join ours. We would love to have you!
#5 Accountability
Your self-discipline and motivation will get you to the group exercise class, and the class environment and instructor will keep you accountable while there which is great for some people. Some of us need that push, and most of us need to be told what to do next. That way, all we have to do is to show up to class, do our best, and the results will come. That’s the deal. It’s really easy, that's why people go to adult fitness group exercise classes.
#6 New Friends
You would have to try real hard to not make new friends while attending a group fitness training session. Most often the people who work out in a group, tend to bond slightly. This is by no means any type of requirement, it just usually happens on its own. Again, humans who share an experience are bonded by that shared experience. I have made many friends over the years from Jiu-Jitsu class, group fitness classes, Our classes, and just in the gym lifting weights. Usually, a person training like you shares the good parts that you share. Try to make some new friends in class. You never know who you will meet, your wife or husband, your best friend and so on!
#7 Work with a Professional
Finally the biggest thing in my opinion: when you pay someone for their services, that receiving person/entity is by definition a “professional”. That word means the best work, the most amount of care taken and full attention. That is in our opinion the standard for Group Fitness Class Instructors. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Here are some questions you could use to rate your fitness class instructor:
- Are they polite and invested in you? If so, they should be pleasant to speak to, know your name, never look at their phone (unless using it for class), teach you patiently, correct and positively reinforce you.
- What is their background? Please never be afraid to ask your coach who they are, and what their experience is. That is usually an exciting conversation to have with a client. You have a right to know who your teacher is.
- Do they look like they work out? It always matters to us. How can someone teach discipline if they don’t possess it themselves? Now, we are not saying every trainer/instructor needs to look like chiseled models, quite the opposite (none of us are chiseled “Baywatch models”). Your trainer should look like a regular human, who has been working out for a while. That’s it, it’s not difficult to see if your group fitness class instructor can walk-the-walk as well.
Working with a caring, disciplined, professional will make all the difference in the world when it comes to your experience while participating in a group fitness training class. When you find a good one, stay with him. Come give us a try, bet you’ll stay for a while!
Conclusion
Summing it all up, if you have never participated in a group exercise class before we suggest you try one soon. Group fitness classes are a great way to meet new people and explore the world of fitness. If you do have the itch for a military-style group fitness class, then let our Force Fit™ class scratch it. Drop us a line today!
