We know that performing regular exercise produces some serious health benefits for our physical and mental wellbeing, but finding and maintaining the motivation to work out can be challenging. The solution to pushing through this barrier could be group exercise. There are significant advantages to choosing group fitness classes over solo workouts. Group fitness classes are any form of exercise that’s performed in a group environment, lead by a qualified instructor. While this concept is hardly new, group workouts have timeless appeal since shared fitness can boost motivation, performance, accountability and reframe what it means to exercise. Read on as the F45 experts unpack why group fitness could be the key to building a sustainable workout routine.
Access to knowledgeable trainers
In a time where cost of living is at an all-time-high¹, many of us are scrutinising our spending habits. One reason why group exercise is better for many individuals is that you still have access to knowledgeable, qualified trainers in a format that’s more affordable than personal training. This means you can still invest in your health and fitness with the assistance of coaches to guide you along the way. F45 group fitness classes are run by certified personal trainers who can safely modify movements to accommodate your personal abilities and needs so you get the workout that’s right for you and your goals.
You can try a variety of exercises with proper instruction
Solo gym sessions can feel limiting at times, particularly if you’re lacking inspiration to try out new movements or struggle to expand your exercise routine without coach guidance. Group fitness classes can help break you out of this monotony with a variety of movements that challenge you and work different parts of your body that you might otherwise neglect in a solo workout session.
F45 workouts are 45-minutes long and are developed with our global athletics team, incorporating more than 5000 different movements so your workout regime stays varied, fun and challenging. Our functional group fitness classes are backed by science and informed by technology, helping you to build lean muscle mass and improve your physical and mental health.
Interactive sessions make time pass quickly
Sometimes, the goal of improved physical health isn’t enough motivation to stick to a consistent routine. For a lot of people, sticking to regular exercise is predicated on enjoyment, and when we add peers and social elements to exercise, it disrupts the monotony of workouts², making exercise feel more fun. So, why do group fitness classes work? Well, when you’re having fun, workout sessions seem to move at a faster pace. They can become something you look forward to, rather than something you’re forced to complete. F45 workouts are dynamic, fast-paced, high-intensity and high energy, so you stay active and engaged throughout class.
A group setting boosts performance and accountability
In group fitness classes, you can often push yourself beyond your usual intensity in a solo workout since you’re immersed in a livelier environment with shared momentum, and there’s a healthy element of friendly competition with fellow members. This positive, competitive camaraderie is one of the secret weapons behind why group fitness can yield such successful results. When you’re working out with people at the same fitness level, it can be a great tool to motivate one another to stay on track. When you’re working out with someone who is fitter than you, it can drive you to push yourself further so you can improve.³
Reaching a point where exercise becomes habitual can take time, and group fitness classes promote accountability between members, creating a community where there are shared goals. For instance, getting through challenging movements and feeling a unanimous sense of accomplishments when completing a workout.
Group fitness is suitable for introverts or extroverts
Feelings of loneliness and isolation can negatively impact physical activity; in fact, studies have shown that one can exacerbate the other.4 Social connection and a sense of community are two notable explanations for why group fitness classes work as positive motivators for continual exercise.4 Group fitness classes foster support that is beneficial for both introverts and extroverts, and how much you engage with your fellow members is entirely self-set and low pressure. If you’re an extrovert, you’ll love the high-energy environment of an F45 Cardio workout. Conversely, more introverted members will enjoy the slower, quieter movements of our Recovery workouts or the individual focus of our Resistance workouts.
If you want to push yourself beyond your regular group fitness classes, discover how to make the most of the F45 Challenge.
1 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-03/record-high-living-costs-businesses-contracting-interest-rates/102296992
2 https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/Exercise-with-a-friend
3 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21808077/
4 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8443045/
