The rise of group training and why it’s hailed as a key fitness trend for 2018
Group training might have been around for a long time but in 2018 the practice of working out with others is really making its mark. If you’re inclined to prefer training on your own, you might want to take a look at the following reasons why group training is being crowned a key fitness trend for 2018.
Raises motivation
With the dark evenings and dreary weather taking its toll, finding the motivation to delve into the great outdoors to exercise can be difficult. Training with a group, whether it’s in an exercise class, at the gym or running or cycling with others, can act as an effective motivation boost and maintain fitness goals.
In fact, one study found that 95% of people who began a weight-loss programme with friends completed the programme. This compared to a 76% completion rate for those who embarked on the weight loss programme alone.
Training with others can also help us work harder, as nobody likes to be seen as the one falling behind. By putting more effort into a group training session than we would if we were on our own, group training can help increase fitness levels and performance.
We feel accountable
Whether it’s a group running session or a boot camp class, training with other people holds us more accountable to turn up and not let the rest of the group down. This can have a positive effect as it encourages us to make ourselves exercise and train instead of being tempted to call it off, which is all too easy when exercising alone.
Makes it more fun
Training with other people can be a great way to socialise and make new friends. Whatever activity you participate in, working out with others can be a fun way to improve fitness levels and support one another to get better at the activity you’re mutually involved in.
Possibilities of group training
There are many different options for training in a group and reaping the multitude of benefits working out with other people creates. Classes at local gyms, such as aerobics, yoga and Pilates, are popular ways for people to work out as part of a group.
Boot camp fitness programmes, which involve rigorous sets of exercises, such as relays and ‘military’ style assault courses, typically outdoors, have been gaining popularity in recent years. Participants exercise and train together. Being like-minded people with similar fitness goals, these types of group training sessions are a great source of motivation and can be an effective way to develop team-playing skills.
Joining a local running or cycling club and joining in weekly training sessions can be a great form of group exercise, which, again, helps to motivate us and encourages us to put in maximum effort.
Group exercise appeals to many due to it being inherently more social and fun than training alone. Not only this but by training with others, we reach greater levels of motivation, encouragement and achievement compared to solo training.
In this sense, it’s hardly surprising that Men’s Health cited group training as a key fitness trend for 2018.
This blog post was written by Hadyn Luke, Director of CMS Fitness Courses. CMS Fitness Courses are specialists in health and fitness training. Based in Huddersfield, CMS Fitness Courses offer a diverse range of high-quality personal training and fitness courses in the West Yorkshire region. CMS Fitness Course is recognised as a premium provider of health and fitness courses that offer a variety of commercial and government-funded training programmes for people of varying ages and backgrounds across Yorkshire.