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Always Exercise By Yourself? 2 Benefits Of Group Exercise

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Whether you have home fitness equipment that you utilize on a regular basis to stay in shape or always exercise independently at the gym, you should consider participating in group exercise from time to time instead of working out alone. While independent exercise can help you get in shape and stay in shape, there are many unique benefits of group exercise that make it a better option for some people. 

Read on to learn about just a few of the many benefits of group exercise when compared to independent exercise. 

1. Increase Motivation to Exercise

One problem that can plague people who exercise alone is a lack of motivation to work out. This lack of motivation often stems from the fact that people who tend to work out independently usually exercise for the health benefits alone, and not because they actually enjoy the exercise they are engaging in. 

While the desire to get into shape and improve physical health can provide some motivation to work out in the form of extrinsic motivation, experts find that people who work out in groups enjoy exercising more than those who work out alone; this joy of exercise increases intrinsic motivation to work out, which is a type of motivation that people tend to have only when they know they will be participating in something they truly enjoy or find satisfying. 

While many people enjoy the comradery they develop with others in their workout groups, others find specific types of group exercise, such as sports play, simply more fun than exercises that can be performed alone, such as running on a treadmill.  

2. Take Advantage of Positive Peer Pressure

Many people who work out alone find it all too easy to find excuses to skip workouts instead of exercising on a regular schedule that they planned ahead of time, especially when they have no one who actively encourages them to stick to their exercise plans. While one skipped workout may not lead to an instant decline in physical health, a workout routine can become much less effective when it is not performed on a regular basis. 

On the other hand, people who work out in groups are often more hesitant to skip their exercise classes or other group exercise activities for several reasons.

First, when they know that people in their workout groups will notice their absence and may later ask them why they missed the workout session, they are often more likely to only skip exercise sessions when they truly cannot make it to class or are physically ill. In addition, if everyone plays a specific role in a type of group exercise, such as a sport, they may fear that the entire team or class may have to change their plans when they do not show up to that workout session. 

If you currently exercise independently and find that you are not meeting your fitness goals, then consider participating in group exercise to reap these benefits of group exercise classes and more. 


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