Today, group exercises are getting more and more popular day by day. Almost 40% of people who exercise regularly attend group fitness classes.
The benefits of exercise for our health and body have been proven in many scientific studies. Not only the primary effects, but even the secondary effects are incredibly positive. There are many examples, from lower blood pressure to improved glycemic control and even more restful sleep.
Some of the mobile fitness apps also offer a challenge feature. The most well-known of these applications is the Fitlich app. With the Fitlich app, you can challenge your friends and family members with ready-made or created challenges.
In addition, there is a lot of scientific data that answers the question of why we should exercise in groups.
Other people can affect how you feel about exercise — which is critical to deciding whether or not to exercise. In this respect, if you meet people who exercise regularly, you begin to see sports as more positive, common, attractive and feasible.
According to psychology and exercise researchers, people are affected by their environment in different ways. So much so that when we see someone losing weight or hear about someone signing up for fitness, our attitudes, feelings and thoughts towards sports are positively affected.
Having Fun with Friends Is Motivating!
Even if you have already decided that you are willing and inclined to exercise, there are several different types of motivation that will determine whether you will be successful at the beginning and whether you will continue to exercise. Sports done with others can trigger these motivations.
The most efficient type of motivation is intrinsic motivation. When you’re motivated this way, you do something because it’s fun and fulfilling. In addition to feeling good after exercising, you are more likely to stick with it if you have fun during it. But even if the activity itself is boring, or you’re doing something you don’t like, doing it with others can make it fun. Thanks to group exercises, fat burning sessions can turn into an enjoyable social activity — which keeps you going. In this respect, having fun while doing sports emerges as the most important factor that ensures regularity and continuity.
Exercising with others can also satisfy psychological needs. Group exercises can trigger a desire for superiority, as they increase competition in sports such as spinning and step aerobics. Inevitably, this strengthens your bond with others. In the long run, people naturally prefer to acquire satisfying behaviours and strengthen their mental health. Kill two birds with one stone!
On the other hand, if your motivation is an extrinsic one, exercises may seem more unnecessary to you. The extrinsic motivation maybe someone telling you to exercise, or you may be exercising to lose weight above all else. In this case, it will be less encouraging to stick to your fitness program and you will be more likely to quit. Especially if your external reasons disappear — for example, if you become weaker or if you decide that you no longer care about the number on the scale — it is likely that the motivation you need to continue exercising is gone.
Friends, Reinforce Habits!
Sports done with others can facilitate the process and make it a habit. Your friends can be an incentive for your workouts.
We watch people around us to learn how to do things; It is a tendency we have to follow the behaviour of those around us after watching them. Seeing those around us sweat can increase our confidence in our inner sports ability; Psychologists call this belief in one’s self self-efficacy. Building self-confidence as a result of the tendency to imitate the behaviour of others is crucial to starting a new exercise routine. Because the likelihood of you signing up for a yoga class or trying out new equipment at the gym is directly proportional to how confident you are in your abilities.
Friends can remove some barriers to doing sports. A training partner can remind you, encourage you to do sports, question you about your commitment to the program, accompany you in your sports, and share a link to opportunities such as Zoom classes.
Not to mention the competitive drive. A little friendly rivalry in your group of friends can increase the intensity of your energy.
Habits are automatic behaviours that you don’t have to put a lot of energy into forcing yourself to do. These behaviours are default behaviours; that is, it is assumed to be done, it is preferred to be done. You fulfil your habits frequently and regularly without having to exhaust all your willpower. This is where workout buddies come in, too. Habits sometimes need a little spark to trigger that behaviour, like a friend writing to you on your usual swim day saying they’re going to join you in the pool.
A reward may also be required to keep habits going. The intrinsic motivation that comes from playing sports with others can act as a gift that keeps exercise a part of your life.
Holding on to Each Other and Doing Sports
It seems that group exercises have some benefits that individual exercises do not.
Engaging in a group exercise can result in a more sustained and resistant exercise experience. According to studies, people who feel more connected to the exercise classes they are a member of attending more sessions, arrive on time, are less inclined to break out of sports, are more resistant to disruptions, and are more likely to see more mental benefits from exercise. Exercising in a group can be an especially good way to deal with these problems, as it’s common to give up before you can complete exercise programs, and disruptions can easily break people off from their exercise routines.
Let’s not forget, when choosing an exercise group for yourself, consider how similar the other participants are to you; Think about their age, gender, and interests. When you’re with people like yourself, you’re likely to form a tighter group. It is very likely that these groups, where the members are connected to each other, will maintain the bond between them and continue the exercises.
Social Distancing Group Sports
As a result, exercising with others can provide all the ingredients for a successful, enjoyable and active lifestyle. Especially if you are feeling lonely because of the pandemic and its negative effects, now may be the time to try remote group exercises. Weather permitting, perhaps you can find an outdoor yoga class with plenty of distance between attendees, or a running club with members who don’t take off their masks.
Virtual classes may not replace face-to-face group exercises. Of course, attending these classes may require a little more motivation, or you may need equipment you don’t have in your home. However, online classes also have potential benefits, such as flexibility in the program, variety in the types of activities and exercises, and being able to connect with people who are physically far away.
References
- https://bit.ly/3NwMmjW
- https://bit.ly/3lI2of5
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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This article is an excerpt from Why Should You Exercise With Your Friends? | by Pierre Diderot | May, 2022 | Medium
