The biggest benefit of exercising with a group is that you never get fed up with the sometimes monotonous nature of the workout schedule. While we all realize that constant exercise is necessary to keep up our fitness at optimal levels, still we ourselves manage to find one reason or another to be non-punctual for our daily sessions. The basic reason why people – ordinary mortals and not fitness freaks – respond in this way is the lack of interest they develop over a period of time in their workout routines or exercises. If they did not find anything interesting or entertaining in the sessions or life inside the gym, they simply wouldn’t bother to turn up for another couple of hours of boredom in the gym. But, group exercises are a definite solution to this attitude. After all, who on this earth doesn’t like to be in the company of others?
But, here it must be kept in mind that those exercises that can be done in a group are very much limited. Even though, new discoveries are invariably tried in various gyms, still the proven ones are the conventional group workouts only. But most of these provide – in its very nature and design – a means for boosting fitness at an overall level than limiting to any particular muscle or body part, which in fact makes it indispensable for most gymnasiums. Popular workouts in that genre include Hip Hop, Yoga, Pilates, Cycling, Cardio Splash, and as mentioned earlier in the paragraph, the various hybrid workout forms.
In Hip Hop – followed in various names and variations all across the country – this form of dance, choreographed to follow certain steps according to the music played in the background. For those who love dancing and music, they will certainly feel at home with hip hop or its local variants. Yoga, on the other hand, is an Indian philosophy – almost 5,000 years old – that brings together body and mind in a mutually supportive existence. It is in fact one of the most effective of all group exercises in vogue today. But for better results, one must be through at least the second stage of yoga classes. Stage I is for beginners.
Pilates – pronounced as puh-LAH-teez – is a hybrid group exercise form, its steps borrowed heavily from other workout formats such as yoga, calisthenics, and stretching. To put it more technically, it is a non-impact, non-weight bearing workout model that helps in developing strength and overall flexibility sans any real muscle building. People who constantly practices Pilates – usually tennis sportsmen – have their muscles long, lean and strong, and sans any solid build.
Cycling uses stationary bikes for ‘riding’ the participants while the instructor mouths the necessary suggestions to do the act. Since being in a group, the participants may not feel bogged down so quickly, or they’ll be trying to outsmart their immediate neighbor in cycling as fast as possible. As mentioned earlier, it is this fun that makes group exercises a big hit.
Finally, cardio splash is an exercise form that lasts for an hour and it includes about 40 minutes of rigorous fat burning workouts, followed by 20 minutes of toning of muscles for overall body conditioning. The session concludes with a relaxing 5 minute stretching.
Belly dancing, cross interval training, mixed bag etc. are other group exercises that are beneficial. Check out your nearest gym for the exact nature of the workouts.
But, for the real benefits of exercising with a group, the important aspect is to be punctual in all sessions. It is both exercise and fun. After all, many of you turn to group workouts to kill boredom as well, don’t you?
