Why DO online fitness classes work so well?

We love our BIG outdoor classes, and socialising with friends, old and new, whilst working up a sweat...but that hasn’t been possible for a while now. Our newfound love of online workout classes may be recent, but it’s here to stay. 

But why? You might ask... How can an online fitness class compare to a regular workout in a gym, without having every conceivable piece of fitness equipment available to me?

Motivation

You probably usually go to the gym, or for a run, alone, and work out with music blaring in your ears. If you get tired, you may not push yourself as hard, or you might just end your workout and head home for a cool shower. 

With fitness classes, you’re accountable not just to yourself, but to everyone else in the class - you forge friendships, and you show up for them. You enjoy your teacher’s workouts - you want to be there to support her or him. 

It’s also a great setting for people that are new to exercise. If you’re not sure what to do, or how to do it, there’s an instructor ready and available to help you make this workout your best one yet! 

Get social

With fitness classes, both online and face-to-face, you’ll meet new people, and you’ll soon find that you want to support them, and watch them succeed, as well as noticing the workout benefits in yourself. 

And when you get confident, you may even find yourself motivating others in the class, whether through Zoom, or in a studio. 

Shape shifter

It’s tricky to get in shape. We’ve all been there. It’s even harder to stay in shape! A 2016 study found that overweight people tend to lose more weight if they spend time with their fit friends — the more time they spend together, the more weight they lose. 

The idea of exercising in a group, or as part of a group fitness class, supports the theory that by spending time with like-minded exercise fans, you’ll find it easier to stay in the zone, and maintain a healthy weight for you. 

Push it real good

The Köhler Effect is the idea that no-one wants to be the weakest, slowest, or come last, in a group setting. In group workouts, this translates to pushing yourself harder when tasked with working out with other people, especially if some of those people are fitter than you. 

We have over 300 online classes every single week, and you can book into any of them here.

As always, stay fit and healthy.