Is it time to take up a class?

Ever look at your gym’s list of available group classes and wonder “could this be for me?”

Working out alone is all fine and good – definitely better than not working out at all – but there are certain benefits you get from training in a group environment which you might otherwise be missing out on.

Such as…

 

Classes boost accountability

One of the best things about training in a group is that it boosts your accountability. Let’s face it, when you’re training by yourself, it’s just easier to go off the rails and make excuses. After all, who’s going to tell you off or question where you’ve been if you decide to take a day, and then a week, and then a month, off training to stay home and enjoy a TV binge after work every day?

When you’re part of a class, and the instructor and other participants get to know you, you’ll start to feel guilty for skipping workouts, and you can expect some questions if you begin slacking off.

That might sound a bit stressful on the surface of it – but it’s not about criticism. It’s about helping each other to keep on track to meet your goals and climb to the next level.

 

Classes make workouts fun

One of the common reasons why people give up on training, or at the very least begin to lose interest and slack off in the gym, is that the workouts really can start to seem boring after you’ve been doing them for a while.

Classes offer a way to mix things up – often with a specific theme or quality that makes it feel more like a game than just a workout.

A Zumba session with some upbeat music and energetic moves will get your heart rate up just as well as a session on the treadmill would, but you’re likely to have a much better time doing it. You might even start going to the class just for the enjoyment factor. You may almost forget that you’re working out at all.

 

Classes teach you new things

Signing up for a class can be a great way of picking up new fitness skills and hobbies which you might otherwise not have ended up getting involved in.

Whether it’s an ab workout that you’d never thought of before in our Pure Abs class, or an interest in the martial arts inspired by our Pure Combat class, broadening your fitness horizons and trying out new things is always a great way of spending your time.

 

Classes help you meet new people

If you’re new to the fitness world and don’t know many gym-savvy people, or if you’d just like to widen your social network in general, classes can be a great way of meeting new people and forging new connections.

When you’ve been in a class for a while, and you start to recognise the usual suspects, it’s not too much of a stretch to reach out, make some conversation and exchange numbers or social media info.

 

Classes can save time

Here’s one that might not seem obvious. There’s an interesting thing about training by yourself; your workout times can become a bit unpredictable, and you can find yourself wasting a fair bit of time between sets, or exercises, or dragging your feet when you’re not in the mood.

A class will always run the same length, and you’ll be able to stick it on your calendar and know exactly how long the workout will take.

Being in a time-controlled workout environment, with an instructor calling the shots, may even get you in the habit of training faster and shaving some time off your solo workouts as well.

 

Classes can correct your form

When you’re training alone, you’ll rarely have a way of knowing if you’re doing an exercise wrong, or if you could be improving your performance by making a few easy tweaks. Your only real option is to research correct exercise form before heading down to the gym, and try to keep an eye on your posture in the mirrors while training.

Sure, a concerned gymgoer might tap you on the shoulder and try and give you a word of advice if you look like you’re seconds away from doing damage, but it’s probably best not to count on it.

In a class, you’ll have an instructor whose job it is to make sure that you’re doing things the right way. This could help teach you a few new tricks at the very least, and might even save you from hurting yourself.

Perhaps it’ll be signing up for our Pure Circuits class that finally gives you the tools you need to shift that stubborn belly fat you’ve been battling with for months, or maybe you’ll just learn that you’ve been squatting wrong for ages.

 

Do you wish to book your place onto a class?

As a PureGym member you can book a place onto our fitness classes at your local club for FREE. We have over 50 free classes every week so there's a wide variety of sessions to choose from to achieve your fitness goals. The booking process is very simple. You'll just need your email address and PIN number handy to log in the members area of our website, on our FREE iPhone and Android App or on the touch screens in club. 

Have you got a favourite class at PureGym?

Wish you could book your place super early so you don't miss out? Upgrade to a Plus membership and you'll be free to book classes a massive 14 days early instead of the usual eight days. You'll also be able to bring a friend for free four times each month (you could take a class together), access other PureGyms for free (and try out their classes) and freeze your membership at no extra cost - and all from just £4 a month extra. Find out more here and get your priority class booking!