Does Group Exercise Help?

I was recently approached by Susie Francis, a content writer for Focus Training, who are a leading UK training provider that offer a variety of courses to help get a career in the fitness industry. Susie is a fitness fanatic and asked whether she could write some exercise and fitness related articles for my blogs, which I was pleased to receive. I am therefore pleased to upload the first of her articles – titled “Does Group Exercise Help”. It is well worth the read. Enjoy.

Does group exercise help?

Taking part in group exercise is beneficial in a number of areas, not least in helping you maintain an active and healthy lifestyle. If you’re a shy or reserved person, group sports can be a daunting option when considering an exercise routine. As well, if you’re not confident in your sporting abilities it can be off putting having to exercise in front of others, especially if you’re worried you won’t be as fast or skilful as others in the team. However, the benefits of group exercise far out way any negative associations and if you take the plunge and get involved you’ll find that group exercise is a great way to help you stay active and healthy.

Motivation - A major benefit to taking part in group exercise is that you’re more likely to continue to exercise if you work alongside others. Exercising with other people means they can encourage you and motivate you to improve. You also feel obligated to turn up to sports sessions because otherwise you feel like you’re letting the team down. Group exercise is a great option for people who want to exercise more but find it difficult to keep to a routine and stay motivated.

Team building skills - Joining a group exercise is a fantastic way to develop your all important team building skills, and is a great bonus to include on a CV. Taking part in group exercises means you have to work with others to achieve a goal. Even if your group exercise is, for example, a boot camp session which concentrates on your own fitness, it will still include a number of parts in which you have to work alongside someone else. Working together with others develops core skills which can be used in other areas of life.

Social - Alongside team building skills, group activities help to foster your social skills. They can often be a great way to meet other people and make new friends. If your social skills do need to be improved group exercise can be a great way to encourage you to interact with others. You’ll also find that as you develop your social skills your confidence will increase, helping you to perform better and get the most out of your team sports.

If you’re still nervous about getting involved, ask a good friend to come along to the first few sessions. You’ll both get the benefits and as your confidence develops you’ll feel more comfortable interacting with everyone else in the group. Group exercise is a fantastic way to help you develop skills in a number of areas. Whether you’re playing a group sport or just exercising in a class, group exercise can help you stay motivated, make new friends and maintain your health and fitness.

I would like to place on record my thanks to Susie for providing a detailed, concise and thought provoking article. You can follow Susie on Twitter.

Live life in the active lane,

Matt