Benefits of Group Exercise

I’ve been working in the group exercise world for long enough (16 years) that talking about the benefits of it is like trying to describe air. Of course, I hold this experience in such high regard that I’ve built my life around it, so with that in mind, here’s a manifesto on why I believe you enhance your life by participating in group exercise.

You have an instructor looking out for you.

Let’s enumerate upsides of the obvious: a rad instructor. Chief among them: You don’t have to make decisions! In Unstill Life workouts, there are always choices. I encourage you to make the workout yours in whatever way serves you on that particular day– speeding up, slowing down, more weight, less weight, etc. But a huge benefit of group exercise is that someone has designed a workout for you, someone who has expertise in fitness program design and all its variables. And in my case, it’s someone who cares a great deal about fun (it’s one of the best things to have, no?) and cares how it unfolds for you. My prior career as a game designer and user experience researcher sharpened those values for my work as a fitness instructor. You will also likely get more variety in your workout than if you went at it alone. And variety tends to be a real plus when it comes to fitness. You also get guidance from a group exercise leader on good form, and how to make things harder, easier or different in ways that suit you. Huge benefits right there.

You use the group dynamic to get out of your comfort zone.

People report to me that, in a group exercise setting, they will push themselves a little harder, but it feels easier because they are engaged with others outside themselves. Could be laughter or could be shared pain, but somehow it’s different. Many times I hear, “I would never have done that if I were exercising alone!” This experience also supports mastery – as you work out with others and see them doing hard things, you build confidence that you can do it too. In a supportive group exercise environment, you get encouragement and are safe to try new/hard things and build your competence. That self efficacy is an essential ingredient in building and sustaining a fitness practice and a fantastic life skill in any arena.

You enhance your mental, emotional and social health.

Meanwhile, when you engage in challenging exercise (which tends to be more likely in a group setting than exercising alone) you release more of the feel-good neurotransmitters dopamine and cannabinoids that counter depression and anxiety. Doing it in a group helps you feel socially connected, so mental and social health benefits of group exercise abide.

You build consistency through belonging.

Social cues make us want to be like those we hang out with. Want to be more fit? Hang out with people who have a fitness practice and you will develop similar habits. There are many times when working out with a group provides extrinsic motivation and external accountability. You show up because other people are expecting you. And that’s great. That may help you overcome resistance that would win out if you were exercising alone. While extrinsic motivation tends not to be as sustainable in the longer term, the really cool thing that’s also happening as you build a strong relationship with your group is that it becomes its own reward. That is the holy grail of intrinsic motivation where you do something because you truly want to–and that is much more sustainable. That experience of a sense of belonging, of exercising with others with shared interests are the things that keep people coming even when they may not feel like it.

You remove barriers, reinforce habits and increase enjoyment.

Not only does working out with others help with accountability, it can also help with working out the logistics and cementing habits. There are folks in my groups who carpool, or who go out for coffee after. They keep each other on the hook for showing up for class, they make it easier to actually get there, and they include a shared reward after class.

You have more fun.

This may not be true of all group exercise, but if you’ve been to Unstill Life workouts, you already know this tone is essential. There is often a game-like feel. We don’t go down the route of competition against each other very often, but we create chances to compete with yourself, and often will have a group challenge toward a shared goal or beat the clock. Trading off with a partner, taking turns, having one person/exercise serve as a timekeeper, rolling a pair of large dice, pulling cards out of a hat, trying to finish a set before a song ends are just a few of the examples of how we play at our workout.

You feel your community. You are the community.

You feel connected to your neighbors, friends, and workout buddies through something you all value. And that’s important these days. It’s the foundation that keeps us energized, hopeful and grounded, and we need it.