The Power of Group Exercise
Why join a group exercise class?
- More motivation: Group exercise is one of the most effective ways to get fit and to keep you motivated.
- More fun: It’s a fun, social way to exercise and can lead to a healthier lifestyle as well as building friendships along the way.
- Working together: Whether it’s a studio class or small gym floor class, the combination of like-minded individuals and the supervision of a qualified instructor means that you are more likely to work harder and complete those last few reps.
- Support each other: Group exercise is perfect for those who want to exercise but feel uncomfortable about going alone, as once you have tried a class you will find yourself surrounded by people with similar interests and will be more likely to return.
- No excuses: Working out with others encourages you to stick with it, as it’s much easier to find an excuse to put off a workout on your own after a long day at work or on those dark mornings, whereas if you are training with a friend or have pre-booked a group activity you are more likely to be motivated to attend.
What's more, research shows that our members are twice as likely to stick to their fitness goals if they incorporate group exercise classes into their workout routine.
Where do I start?
Some centres will offer shorter beginner classes designed to introduce you to group exercise where instructors will coach you through the moves and techniques of the most popular classes. These classes are designed as an introduction and will get you started on your fitness journey.
Whether you’re looking for something for your mind or body, there are a huge choice of classes available, including Indoor Cycling, weights workouts like Body Conditioning or Body Pump, Body Combat, Legs, Bums & Tums, Step, HIIT, Aqua classes, Pilates, Yoga or dance-based classes like Zumba, and many more.
Check out our timetable to find out what we offer at National Water Sports Centre.
How often should you take part in group exercise?
Taking part in exercise 2- 3 times a week can have a significant positive impact on your health & wellbeing, however the frequency and length of workouts required will vary according to your current level of health & fitness, the goals you are looking to achieve and the intensity of the exercise you will be taking part in.
Why not have a free personalised fitness review with one of our instructors, who will be able to best advise you on a class to help meet your goals? Speak to a member of our team today!
How about HIIT classes?
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has become very popular providing results from working out as hard as you can for a short period of time, resting and then repeating.
Our partners at Les Mills and the research they've commissioned say for the most part, the stress HIIT puts your body under is beneficial – as it’s this stress that drives change.
But your body is only able to handle a certain amount of stress at once and recommends on average two 30 to 45-minute HIIT workouts a week.
If you’re properly conducting a HIIT workout, a 30-minute workout would include 15 minutes of HIIT and 15 minutes of recovery.
Les Mills recommends that you only introduce HIIT after at least six months of consistent exercise, doing a mix of cardio and resistance training across four or five days a week. At this point, you can replace one cardio session with one or two shorter HIIT sessions.