As
kids, we loved to get together to play with our friends. As teenagers, our
world revolved around our friends; oftentimes, our friends dictated our choice
of activities. As adults, we still enjoy being active with friends, but don’t
always feel like we have the time or opportunities to do so. Group exercise
provides us with an opportunity to feel young again and be physically active
with others.
Group
exercise is typically described as exercise performed by a group of individuals
led by an instructor. A variety of group exercise formats exist, including (but
not limited to) Pilates, yoga, Nia, Tai Chi, Qi gong, Zumba, Martial arts and
Ageless Grace. Your choice of classes depends on the studio you attend, the
expertise of the instructors, and the amount of time you have.
Group
exercise offers a variety of benefits you might miss out on if you choose to
work out on your own. Some of the benefits include exposure to a social and fun
environment, a safe and effectively designed workout, a consistent exercise
schedule, an accountability factor for participating in exercise, and a workout
that requires no prior exercise knowledge or experience. Let’s take a look at
how these benefits might apply to you.
A
common reason given for quitting an exercise program is boredom. A variety of
class formats will keep you motivated and interested, as well as give you
different instructor styles, music selection, and interaction with other
participants. For many, an hour-long workout goes by very quickly when there is
music playing and you are trying new exercises. People stay interested because
of the social atmosphere provided by group exercise. This offers camaraderie and
accountability among participants, as well as between participants and
instructor.
Most
people know exercise is good for them and want to begin exercising. However,
they do not know the first step to take. They are bombarded with urgent
messages from the media to exercise, but receive little guidance on how to
initiate that process. This can be a very overwhelming task, especially when
our lives are hectic. Group exercise offers a workout for all levels, ranging
from beginner to advanced. Participants do not need to know how to develop a
safe and effective workout or which machines to use or for how long; it is
already done for them. They simply have to show up with a positive attitude,
participate, and most importantly, have fun.
An
exercise class structured with a purpose can be beneficial for people with
limited knowledge about safe and effective exercise programming. An
appropriately designed class includes warm-up, cool-down and flexibility in
addition to the conditioning section. When people exercise on their own, they
often skip portions of a workout they know less about or are not their favorite
to perform. Furthermore, the exercise professional is not only designing the
components of the workout, but also the intensity, so the class is designed appropriately
to improve stability, flexibility, cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness. The
exercise professional can also serve as a resource for class participants and
encourage them to engage in other healthy behaviors outside of class.
Lastly,
group exercise appeals to many people because of its diversity. Regardless of
your passion or interest, what is most important is to move. Group exercise
offers an outlet for people to do this while having fun!
The Value of Exercise Variety
Mixing
up your routine does more than just beat boredom. "There are some
physiological benefits as well as psychological benefits of having variety in
your exercise program," says Barbara Bushman, Ph.D., FACSM, associate
professor, Department of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, and
associate dean of the Graduate College, Southwest Missouri State University.
When
you do the same type of exercise exclusively, your body builds certain specific
strengths. By switching your activity mode, you broaden your physical
abilities.
Doing
a different activity "stresses the body in a new and novel way,"
Bushman says (= Positive stress). That's why, after trying a new physical
movement, you sometimes feel sore in places where you had forgotten you had
muscles.
Exercise
variety may help reduce dementia risk as well. A 2005 study3
published by researchers at The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
and the University of Pittsburgh found that dementia, including Alzheimer's
disease, occurred less frequently in people aged 65 or older who participated
in more physical activities, from gardening to jogging to golfing. (Of course,
if you're planning on becoming much more physically active than you are now,
you'll want to check with your health care professional first.)
