How to Get the Benefits of a Boutique Fitness Class for Free
Fitness advertisements are promising. You and your super-lovable classmates will become good friends by doing early morning workouts that are incredibly intense but fun at the same time. Your sports holiday is perfect. The lighting will be very good.
Obviously, this is too good to be true, but there is some truth in it. When you are in class, you are engaging with people. And research shows time and time again that group training is a powerful way to boost your motivation, increase intensity, and get the most out of your workout.
Luckily, you don’t need to spend money on membership fees or tuition fees to get the benefits of a fashion class at a boutique gym. This is because the biggest secret of group fitness is that almost all of the most important benefits are free.
Why group exercise is so motivating
Psychologists have long known about the power of group exercise. There are many theories about why we exercise more intensely when other people are around, but everyone agrees that group work improves exercise. Or, in the words of the 1898 study of cyclists, group training “serves to release latent energy not normally available.”
Evidence has been piling up for over a century, and research shows that you don’t have to work hard to benefit from a company. A small study in 2006 showed that the comrades encourage greater effort, even with light exercises. Participants were asked to walk as far as possible in six minutes. Participants walked about 12% further when they were with at least one person than when walking alone.
They are people, not a brand
These results come from research conducted in university laboratories, not gyms. And in almost every case, the participants were not led by an experienced trainer. Most research shows that our tendency to react to the activity of people around us is deeply rooted in our psychology.
A 2012 Kansas State study shows the power of only thinking that you are working with someone else. The researchers suggested that college-age women should ride alone on exercise bikes for as long as they could. Later, the same women rode motorcycles again, but instead of being alone, they could see another rider on the screen. The researchers told them that another rider was performing the same action in a different laboratory, but in reality it was a pre-recorded video running on a loop. With a “partner”, women increased their average riding time by 90%. When they were told that their partner was their teammate and that their result was the time the teammate drove who left first (and with a lot of training), the ride time increased by almost 200%.
How to find your training team
So, if one of the biggest benefits of fitness is people, why not skip the gym (and monthly bill) and find another community to help you reach your fitness goals?
Chances are, you already have access to classes that are free or subsidized by local taxes or your employer. Community center workouts are usually free or cheap (say $ 5). Some classes may cost more, but not as expensive as elsewhere.
Many health insurance plans include gym memberships, which are free or offered at a significantly reduced price. It’s hard to generalize about the lifestyle benefits, so ask HR (or if you have a lot of free time, contact your insurer directly) to find out what your company is already paying for.
And don’t forget the local running groups and rec leagues. Check out community boards or online community support to find out what’s happening in your area.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when you start looking for the perfect group:
- Look for a group of people who are a little better suited to you. In a 2010 study , participants on exercise bikes were asked to maintain their heart rates in a specific range, but they couldn’t help adjusting their efforts to match the intensity of those around them.
- But don’t overdo it. Exercising with people in better shape can scare off or lead to injury related to overtraining.
- Family and friends can make your workout more productive and fun! According to a presentation from an observational study from USC, participants reported that they were happier and more enjoyable exercise when exercising with friends or family than when exercising alone.
If you’re trying to get in shape or start a new fitness habit, don’t worry so much about lycra, large mirrors, or hot people in Instagram ads. Research shows that the most important part of group fitness is people. So take friends (or make them!) And start sweating. Better together.