What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Joining a Group Exercise?

A lot of us work out at a gym or at a fitness center. I'm quite sure that you have seen a group of people working out together. Most of them are doing cardio exercises such as kick boxing, plyometrics and even yoga. It does look fun but for some people and in some situations, group exercises may not be apt. Let me share some of the advantages and disadvantages of joining a group exercise.

Group exercise incorporates fitness with social activity. Not only are you trying to be fit but you can actually gain new friends and acquaintances if you join group exercises especially if you do it quite often.

Exercises need to be executed properly. This is to make sure you are taking advantage of the purpose of the exercise especially if there are weights involved and of course, to avoid injuries. The good thing about doing it as a group is that you can evaluate the performance of one another and help them do the correct form of the exercise and do it together.

At the gym that I go to, at least, group exercises are scheduled since there's a moderator who acts as the leader who guides everyone on what to do. This can be a problem if you really want to join but you can't due to your packed schedule. Most of the time you really can't choose the schedule aside from the ones available and you would have to adjust your own schedule to be able to join. On the other hand, it probably won't be a problem if it's just between you and your friends or family. You can just talk to each other to set a day and time to meet up when everyone's free.

When you join a group exercise you have to follow their pace. This can either be advantageous or disadvantageous depending on your currently physical condition. If you are already used to working out, if the exercise routine of the group is way to subtle for you, you most likely won't benefit as much. On the other hand, if you are not used to doing heavy exercises or high impact routines and the group exercise routines you're doing are really intense, you will most likely have a hard time following their pace.

Finally, you really can't choose what to do. If you do not like the music or the moves themselves, you really can't tell them to change it just for you. There may be some people who prefer to go to a group exercise wherein they like the routine itself. The guide however, may give you enough room to modify the routines to make it either lower or higher impact depending on your needs.

So always make sure that you are aware of the types of exercise routines the group will do before joining. Plan your schedules well especially if you have a group exercise at a gym which has specific schedules.

Source:
Group Exercise GX Team
Fitness First - SM North Edsa