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Advantages of Working Out in A Group

Advantages of Working Out in A Group

It’s Monday morning, 5:00 am, pitch dark and freezing cold outside. Your alarm goes off, and although you had every good intention of hopping out of bed and hitting a morning fitness class, you hit “snooze” instead. After all, no one to disappoint but yourself, right?

Unfortunately, we are far too quick to let ourselves down when it comes to sticking with our exercise routines. A good solution: meeting up with friends for exercise classes or working out in a group. Not only will you be more apt to show up if you know a workout buddy is expecting you, you will have more fun, too!

The more, the merrier

Research has shown, working out in a group or participating in exercise classes for women is beneficial for several reasons. The perks of working out alongside friends at a women’s gym, other fitness club, or just walking around your neighborhood include the following:

Lower stress: A study published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association found working out in a group lowered stress by 26% compared to exercising alone. The group exercisers also saw improvements in three measurements of quality of life—mental (12.6%), physical (24.8%) and emotional (26%). ¹

A trimmer body: Just like your friends help shape your taste in music, movies, or clothes, they may influence your fitness and body weight, too. A 2016 study published in Obesity found overweight people who spent time with fit friends tended to lose more weight. And the more time they spent with those friends, the more weight they lost! ²

In another study, 95% of women who started a workout program with friends finished the program, compared to only 76 percent of women who started the program alone. The women who exercised in a group were also 42% more likely to maintain their weight loss. ³

Greater endurance: You’ll be more likely to stay longer at the Curves circuit and maybe even throw in a bonus morning fitness class if you hit the ladies’ gym with your friends. Researchers from Michigan State University found engaging in a workout routine with another person helped people exercise longer and harder than they would have if they tackled it alone. ⁴

A stronger social network: Having a strong social network is associated with a longer, healthier life. The friendships you form at your ladies’ gym or workout class for women contribute to your social circle. After all, you see these women a few times a week. As you go through the circuit or sweat it out in a cardio class, you can talk about your feelings, what you did over the weekend, or just share a good laugh.

Accountability: You’ll be less likely to skip a workout when you’ve planned to go with someone else. In a study done at Indiana University, researchers found married couples who worked out by themselves had a dropout rate of 43%. Those who worked out with their spouses, however, had a dropout rate of only 6.3%. This exercise routine accountability can translate to any workout buddy, not just a spouse. Set a specific day and time to work out with a friend or group, put it in your calendar, and you’ll be much more likely to go. ⁵

Added fitness and weight loss motivation: We’ve all been there. You’re not feeling it on one of your workout days, and you just want to quit. In the absence of a workout buddy, you might. But with your friend’s encouragement and support, you can power through. In a study done in England, women who exercised with their best friends were 64% more likely to push themselves through a workout compared to women who exercised on their own. ⁶

Deciding you want to exercise in a group or with a friend is a good first step toward achieving your fitness relationship goals. Finding the best workout classes for women or ladies’ gym to attend together is the next. As you choose your venue, think about what inspires you to exercise. Is it knowing you’re not alone as you work out next to women with fitness and weight loss goals like your own? Is it pushing yourself to achieve your personal best in women’s fitness classes for the sake of your health and happiness? Is it a judgment-free zone where you feel comforted, supported, and encouraged? Is it a place where you can learn about how to follow a healthy eating plan and talk about recipes and food tips with your likeminded friends? If you’re looking for any—or all—of these things, Curves is a perfect ladies’ gym for you. Bring an old friend to work out with you at Curves and meet new friends as you challenge yourself and each other. One of the many great things about Curves is that when you join Curves, you join the Curves community. Between your Curves Coach and the women you work out next to in the circuit and Curves classes, you’ll have endless support and weight loss motivation.

What’s more, the Curves women’s gym workout is convenient, combining strength training and cardio plus stretching – all in just 30 minutes – to strengthen your whole body. For more information about Curves and the full body workouts the Curves Circuit provides, visit ‘Why Curves’.

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