Why You Might Totally Dig a Group Exercise Class

First, a quick update. After being back on Dietpower since Monday, and actually making it to the gym twice in the morning plus three times after work, I've dropped 2 pounds in a week. I hate proving myself right. I have to track what I eat for the rest of my life, or this weight yo-yo battle crap will go on for the rest of my life too. How nice for me. Anyone else out there struggling with your weight on a daily, monthly or yearly basis?

Now, what I really want to tell you about...

I was in spin class yesterday when I realized that I should talk about group exercise classes here. I know not everyone has access to these, and I recognize how lucky I am to live in a city big enough to have a few large fitness club chains. I am also lucky that I've been a member long enough that I'm only paying $12/month for access to like 6 different clubs in the city (I use 3 regularly, depending on where I'm going and which one has a class I want to take at a convenient time). But if you have the opportunity, or could make the opportunity with a little effort, you should definitely get out and try a class if you haven't before.

So... group exercise. You show up at a specified time for a specified class and work out with a bunch of other people. That was probably obvious, huh? Depending on the type of class you choose, you can have lots, to little, to no interaction with other people. I know sometimes people like to socialize at the gym, but I think most people are like me and just want to get in, get a workout, and talk to as few people as possible. You can still do this in a group fitness class.

The reason I dig classes so much (and you might too) is because it pretty much guarantees that I'm going to do a full hour of exercise. I don't know about you, but if I go to the gym and just work out on the treadmill or Arc trainer, I'm often tempted to cut it short. I'll go for like 35 or 40 minutes, then something in my brain goes "c'mon, you've done enough, you're a little sweaty, let's quit." And sometimes I do.

The truth is that there are times my brain tries the same shtick when I'm in a class too, but I would be way too embarrassed to just leave while it was going on. I saw this happen last week in a Body Pump class. There were two girls there, both overweight, obviously new to class, that got halfway through the second song and left. They could have gotten a great workout in the 60 minute class, but instead, one looked over at the other, rolled her eyes and kinda motioned to the door with her head. The friend shrugged, then nodded, and both put away their equipment and left. I get that every person isn't going to enjoy every class all of the time, but they didn't even try. The minute the class started to get difficult, they quit. And yeah, I don't want anyone else blogging about me being a quitter, or thinking in class that I'm a quitter, so I stay; even on the days that I truly wish I was anywhere else.

The other advantage is that most days, I don't wish I was anywhere else. The classes I take are engaging and challenging, and I really feel like I'm doing something good when I'm there. Most have music with a good beat, and I find that music makes just about any workout better.

So if you have the chance, but have been too nervous about the unknown, just go for it! You can always take it slow. You can always stand in the back. You can keep your head down and no one is going to bother you. You can talk to your neighbor and maybe make a friend for life, or at least for 60 minutes. And if you try one and hate it, try something else another day. There are so many different classes available these days, you could probably go for weeks without doing the same one twice.

I'll also try to tell you about the classes I'm really partial to. The ones that I get to two or three times a week because they're so much fun. Does anyone have a favorite class you can't go a week without? I'm always looking for new ones to try.