Group Fitness – How Do I Find The Right Class? (Section 1 of 3)

SECTION 1 – INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW TO GROUP FITNESS

And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. –Bible

I needed to be needed. I needed me time. I needed something beyond the diapers, the homework & housework, the dread of another pair of jeans that didn’t fit and there, in the middle of Walgreens, she noticed my need.

What started off, as an invitation to visit an exercise class, became a Christ inspired passion for group fitness. My first group fitness class helped me find what I didn’t even know I was looking for.

With so many group exercise options available how do you find the group fitness experience that is right for you?

THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME

This time of year many women have glanced over their calendars with anticipation of the festive season wondering how they’ll stay stress free, thinking about ways to avoid the dreaded holiday bulge, and how on earth they can spend time with friends and family and still keep a happy holiday spirit. Funny thing with the holidays, ready or not, the dinner parties and invitations are set and we start making such a fuss. Holidays will come and go, but group exercise can be a consistent means for you to manage the fuss, stay healthy and enjoy the fellowship of others.

To borrow from the movie “Elf”, “the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” While belting out your favorite Christmas jingle might cause a flash-mob effect or a few strange glances; avoid the holiday stress simply by staying physically active.

We’re not suggesting your trade your cookie swap for a 5 a.m. bootcamp. Instead consider having a girls night out Zumba party followed by a few festive appetizers & treats. The holiday season, with all it’s twinkling lights and trimmings is known to ignite a certain joyous cheer and excitement but turn up a fast paced, samba rhythm with a few funky dance moves and you can erase a full days worth of irritations and tensions. Those are ‘feel good’ endorphins you hear coming from that group fitness room.

“I used to go to ZUMBA® classes and in my head, pretend I was performing on a Latin Dance show. Lame, I know, but it made it more fun!” says licensed ZUMBA® instructor Amanda Kennedy. Leaving the class feeling like she just went out dancing at a party, or rehearsing for a musical transformed this former stay at home mom into an instructor.

“We’re busy and the holidays just seem to make things busier,” suggests Kennedy, “work, school, kids, errands, housework, ministry or social obligations, there’s always something that seems better or more important to do than exercise.”

BUILT-IN MOTIVATION

It’s no secret that it’s hard to make working out a priority. Kennedy suggests that as women we often subconsciously set our ‘to-do’ list based on where we’re most needed, who’s counting on us the most. One potential reason we leave out exercise is because we think “this is just something for me, nobody’s counting on me to do it” so it falls by the wayside. Group Fitness fixes this problem for two main reasons, accountability and fun.

Group fitness creates a built in support system of camaraderie and encouragement and can even double as a girls’ night out. Many group fitness classes become a small community of accountability of like-minded people create lasting friendships. What I initially perceived to be a scary thing became my hour of release, empowerment and support and it soon carried over into prayer circles, a Bible study group and lifetime relationships.

“If you get into a group fitness class and make friends and you really enjoy the workout, it’s fun. There are women who look forward to seeing their fitness friends in class and if one or the other isn’t there, she checks up on you to make sure everything is ok. ”, said Kennedy.

ZUMBA® creates a spontaneous support suggests licensed instructor Jennifer Gillespie. She attributes the common goal to be fit and the intrinsic need women have for socialization to this dynamic atmosphere. Group fitness fosters friendships that demonstrate care and encouragement to others through small talk chats before, during and after the class.

“Even if you don’t know anyone else in the class, you’re all doing the same thing, together,” says Gillespie, “people in group fitness just seem to support one another. I’ve seen and personally experienced friendships that happen simply because I attended the same fitness class as someone else and we interacted while we worked out.”

Ask any group fitness instructor and she’ll agree, the best instructors are those who’ve been inspired and converted from the floor to the front. Having been on both sides of the fitness floor, Carol Coggins Johnson, AFAA certified Group Fitness instructor, recalls starting out as an overweight unfit exerciser with no confidence and little self-esteem.

“When I stepped into a kickboxing class eight years ago, I never knew that I would leave that back row and work my way to actually teaching and training others.”, said Johnson. As a participant she experienced how God could use exercise to fill a void of acceptance in her heart and turn an intimidation into a compassion for other women. With each class she attended He began to give her the desires of her heart. What once intimidated her; the gym & exercise time, is now her best stress reliever.

WHY GROUP FITNESS

ACE FITNESS (American Council on Exercise) released the Fitness Trends of 2012 and among those predicted fitness prescriptions is of course group fitness. What started out as a ‘trend’ has found its way into the passion, purpose and pulse of many fitness facilities, smaller private studios and even churches. With every format of group training from military style boot camps and Crossfit calisthenics to dance based fitness & mind-body classes, group fitness has transformed aerobics and reshaped itself into a lifestyle social sanctuary.

“Of course there are some people who really enjoy just going to the gym doing a solo work out on the strength training machines and treadmill, but for a lot of people, even if they can make themselves go to the gym to do that 3 days a week, it’s boring, it’s “work”!”, says Kennedy “so for the rest of us, that’s where Group Fitness comes in!”

Group fitness has found itself as the backdrop to fundraising causes, marathon training programs and bachelorette parties. It’s no longer aerobics, hints of synthesized hyper speed music with leg warmers and spandex, it’s group therapy for some, a full out party for others and training grounds for endurance athletes.

With cooler temperatures, those who adopt the outdoors as their gym can get the same endurance training of a long run in cardio based group fitness. And for those who savor the meditative euphoria of a brisk walk can relax, restore and rejuvenate in mind-body classes. The atmosphere of group fitness classes can shake off the humdrums of a dreary day whether through meditation and relaxation or hip shakin’ and hand clappin.

FINDING THE PERFECT CLASS

How do you know which class is best for you? Do you need an in-your-face-make-you-get-it-done type environment? Do you like to zone out, feel like you’re free from your to-do list? Do you want to feel like the athlete you use to be? Maybe the idea of walking into a group fitness class for the first time is both exciting and terrifying all at the same time.

Wright State University Director of Fitness and Wellness Jennifer Turpin recommends easing the trepidations of group fitness by introducing yourself to the class instructor before class starts. “I encourage my instructors to “look out” for newbies so that they can offer special attention and modifications if necessary,” said Turpin. “I try to give them an idea of what to expect and encourage them to pace themselves and start off slowly”

Believe it or not, this time of year is the perfect time to ‘shop’ for a group fitness class. Most fitness centers and some smaller studios offer visitor or guest passes and many are running holiday memberships specials. Visit the facility to try a class or call up a friend and ask to be their special guest to their favorite class.

Johnson, offers another great suggestion, “Winter is so much harder to rev yourself up to head to the gym. But getting there is the hardest part.” Said Johnson “If the weather or your schedule will not allow you to make that trip to the gym, have a back up plan. A favorite DVD, fitness show, or something — anything you can do to keep your body moving is great. If it’s intimidating to think of starting, maybe rent some DVDs or watch a sample class on sites such as Hulu, Netflix, Youtube and see what you think you may be interested in.”

Familiarizing yourself with the ‘style’ and complexity of the movement during class can help you decide if you’re looking for step, yoga, pilates, kickboxing, body sculpting or latin dance. Pretty much whatever you want to try, there’s some sort of DVD or preview available. Try it in the comfort of your own home, and then visit a live class.

Visit a class at least 3 times before you make a decision, instructor teaching styles, music and the crowd can help you decide if the class suites your personality.

Any solid group fitness class worth attending will be true to it’s description in that it should tell you if it’s beginner, intermediate, advanced or will define clearly what you can expect. As Body Training Systems describes Group Groove, “if you can move you can groove.”

The true success of your group fitness class is found in the take away. Whether you stop in as a ‘try before you buy’ visitor or you jump right in and start movin’, how you ‘feel’ physically and emotionally about your group fitness experience will determine whether or not you stick with it. Group fitness has become the ‘I never knew I could’ for so many women. From the inner dancer to the triathlete hopeful, newfound passions have been discovered on the group fitness floor.

So now that you know why I and these other instructors are so excited about group fitness, it is your turn to take some action. The next two sections list types of classes for you to consider. A “Group Fitness Assessment Guide” is provided as a tool to help you decide which one will be your first choice. With so many options, pick one and then get started.

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