Group Fitness vs. Going it Solo – Pros and Cons
If you have decided to get fit and healthy, then the next step is to find out how. While you can jump right in with a healthy eating plan, choosing the exercise option may take a little more time. Could group fitness or solo exercise be better for you? Here are the pros and cons of each.
Group Fitness
Group fitness is an excellent option for those looking to lose weight in a welcoming, encouraging, and energetic environment. There are so many benefits of exercising with others – many of which are scientifically proven in studies over the past decade.
PRO: Lose more weight – Joining a group fitness class such as boot camp, yoga, BODYATTACK, or BODYPUMP, can help you to lose more weight than if you were to take the journey by yourself. In a 2018 systematic review of group-based diet and physical activity weight loss interventions, the differences were staggering. On average, those involved in group fitness classes were able to lose 3.5kg more than those who tried to lose weight by themselves.
PRO: Get additional motivation – It can be hard to motivate yourself to go and exercise, especially if the couch and TV are luring you over to them. However, if you join a group fitness class, your group members expect you to participate. You have to be there at a particular time on a specific day, which makes you more inclined to turn up and exercise.
CON: Money – The only obvious pro is that you have to spend more money, typically, on group fitness than you would on trying to exercise on your own. However, it’s a small price to pay when you can get those results you desire.