Should You Really Make Group Fitness Yours?
In an ideal world, fitness should be about nothing more than forming a habit and challenging your body . Unfortunately, group fitness sessions are rarely perfect. Whether you’ve signed up for Pilates , CrossFit , or any other group workout , it’s easy to let your ego get in the way.
This post was inspired by this r/Yoga thread , where the original poster gets annoyed when other people do their own poses and ignore instructions during group yoga sessions. On the contrary, r/Crossfit often complains that other people “cheat” their workouts . I sympathize with the disappointment: why do others have to record impressive numbers and you’re a fool who plays by the rules?
That’s why you should get over your judgment and learn to focus on yourself during any group workout.
Yes, you must make the practice your own.
Even though you are in a group setting, you are still the person who deserves to make your workout personal. More importantly, you probably paid money for this class.
In most fitness classes, the instructor or trainer encourages everyone to “make the practice your own” and listen to your body. In the same way that someone can make changes to adjust to an injury, you have the right to make your exercises more intense so that the workout is worth your time and money.
One person can perform certain movements while another adds a few extra reps . (Can you imagine a zumba class moving in perfect unison ? Terrible.) However, as much as I want to focus on myself, I allow myself to get annoyed—and frankly, compete—with the people who come to group fitness, seemingly. just “beautify”.
If you’re going to change, be smart
Now that we have established that you have every right to make your practice your own, let’s be honest with ourselves. Why are you really making a change?
Part of signing up for group fitness is an informal contract with everyone else in the group: you all show up today to motivate each other, hold each other accountable, and be part of the community. Don’t be surprised if your individualistic streak is seen as a little selfish.
If the rest of your class is taking five breaths in triangle pose while you think you’re in the mood for ten burpees, then it’s safe to say you’re being destructive.
However, in the same example, let’s say a five-breath hold is too difficult or too boring for you. Do your best to make a suitable substitution, such as holding an adjacent posture for this period of time.
In more intense competitive settings like CrossFit, it’s far too common to see other people “cheat”. They sacrifice form and then report record reps. This person is only fooling themselves (assuming you are not cheating team members or actively refereeing competitions). So, if that person is you: ask yourself why you feel the need to focus on the numbers and not the quality of your workout. You are hindering your own progress, physical and mental.
If Modifiers Worry You: Focus on Yourself
When someone’s free style distracts you in a group setting, use that time as an extra challenge to practice mindfulness while you practice. Position yourself so that the offender is out of your line of sight. Let the rest of the room dissolve and focus on your breath. If we’re talking about #profits… You don’t gain anything by judging others for what they do or don’t do.
If it’s not hurting your workout, it’s not worth talking about. If it helps feed the judgmental part of yourself, think of it this way: When you notice someone cheating on their workouts or selfishly showing off, the rest of the group probably notices as well.
In general, annoying people are a great opportunity to practice becoming a kinder person. One Reddit commenter who claims to be a yoga teacher, uidactinide , puts it this way:
“Maybe they need to change to adjust to the injury, as others have said. Maybe they have a sore shoulder and add a bandage or twist to try and relax it. Maybe during class, they realized that their hamstrings are very tight, and since they are here to relax before bed, they want to get rid of this tension. Maybe they live alone and work from home, and being in the classroom is more about human interaction for them than following the teacher’s directions. Maybe they’ve just learned how to do a handstand and they’re really proud of it and want to show off a little to people who they think will understand their excitement. Maybe they really prefer high flow classes, but they work two jobs and that’s the only class time that works for them.”
If someone is bothering you, think twice before dragging other people into it or confronting them in any way. You will never know the whole story of why they go about their business.
Conclusion: it’s about you
In most group fitness situations, the only person you should be competing against is yourself. In the same way, when you cheat, the person you are really cheating is yourself. All you can do for your physical benefit and mental well-being is to focus on yourself.