Your New Year resolution could be about your relationships, hobbies, or travel plans. But, more likely than not, it is about your health and fitness.
Only 23% of Americans exercise enough to meet the national recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control.
The CDC states that adults, at a minimum, should get 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity every week. That is 2 ½ hours per week, tops.
And yet, as a society, this is not happening for most of us.
There are a lot of answers to that question.
- You’re tired
- Exercising is boring
- You’re not motivated
- You don’t like to exercise
- You don’t like exercising alone
There is one simple answer to all of these obstacles.
ATTEND GROUP EXERCISE CLASSES.
They are fun, lively, and social and help you stay motivated.
The Paseo Club is a social club in Santa Clarita with almost twenty years of experience supporting members to achieve their fitness goals. We have found that attending group fitness classes is one of the most successful steps to acquiring great health.
In this article, you will learn what group fitness classes are, what types of group fitness classes exist, and why group fitness may be just what you need to stick to your resolution this year.
What is a group fitness class?
A group fitness class is an instructor-led class with a group of people who exercise together. Usually, these classes are at a gym or a fitness center.
What types of group fitness classes are at gyms and fitness centers?
There are many different types of group exercise classes. Each gym or facility offers various classes. Common group classes include:
- HIIT
- Yoga
- Barre
- Cycle
- Zumba
- Kickboxing
- Water aerobics
- Cardio aerobics
- Strength training
- Pilates mat and/or reformer
Why are New Year's resolutions so hard to stick to?
People make unrealistic New Year's resolutions.
It is not easy to make huge changes. Most people who do not go to the gym at all, make a goal of going five days a week. Then, when they don’t make it five days a week, they give up.
The goal of making a New Year resolution is setting a reasonable goal and sticking with it.
Four reasons group fitness classes help people stick to their New Year resolutions
Attending group fitness classes has been scientifically proven to increase attendance and accountability. There are several reasons why this is.
- Working out with a group of people helps you develop a sense of community and makes you feel like you are part of a team. Everyone is working and sweating together. When friendships get made at a place of fitness, it doubles your reasons to come to class — for fitness and social time.
- Experienced instructors lead group fitness classes. Instructors have the training to guide classes that are fun, challenging, and varied. They are also there to assess your form, which is essential for safety and minimizing injury. But most importantly, instructors will encourage and ever so gently push you to your next fitness level — something hard to achieve on your own.
- Classes are always the same day and time throughout the week so you can set them in stone on your calendar. Creating a consistent habit of exercise drastically increases the chance you will attend your class.
- When you attend group fitness classes, you spend time with others who also care about their health and fitness. This experience creates a peer culture that positively impacts your own lifestyle decisions.
How to find the best group fitness class for you
There are many types of group fitness classes available where you live. You can find a class that meets you at the fitness level you are currently at — so don’t let being a beginner be a deterrent to joining a class.
Some classes to consider are:
- To enhance mobility and calm the mind: yoga or Pilates
- Because you love to dance: Zumba or barre
- To build muscle: strength/resistance training, lifting
- For a cardio burn: group tennis lessons, cycle, treadmill
- Cross-training to get cardio and resistance: HIIT
- Since water is your happy place: water aerobics
Turning a new leaf is tough to do. It takes guts. It takes courage. It takes determination. But you’ve got this.
The Paseo Club is also here to help. We have over 60 fitness classes available each week, including the very popular group fitness classes Paseo Tribe, Kickboxing, Greatest Results, and Pilates.
The Paseo Club invites members to check out Tribe, Blood Flow Restriction, and Pilates classes for FREE from December 19th - 31th.
The Club also offers pickleball and tennis courts, a junior Olympic pool open year-round, a cafe, and a spa.
If you are looking for a new place to get fit and make deeper connections with your friends and neighbors in the Santa Clarita Valley, then the Paseo Club may just be the place for you. Schedule your tour today!
To learn more about the Paseo Club and why fitness helps us not only look good but also feel good, read these three articles.
