JOIN THE CLUB
The promise of a toned physique and improved fitness is no longer enough to get people moving. Remy Rippon investigates the rise and rise of wolf-pack workouts designed to keep you motivated.
The rise and rise of wolf-pack workouts designed to keep you motivated to exercise.
Meet Monique. Monique enjoys listening to Madonna, her guilty pleasure is rosé champagne, her favourite destination is Corsica and her go-to karaoke song is Jolene. No, this isn’t her online dating profile; Monique is an instructor at New York-based cult-fitness outfit Soul Cycle and the fact that we know all of this (and more if you attend one of her 45-minute classes) is via her online trainer profile. Monique forms part of the new breed of communityminded workouts that aim to fulfil not only the physiological benefits of exercise – improved fitness, weight control, reduced risk of disease – but also the latest share-all, one-of-the-pack mentality sweeping city gyms and fitness classes alike.
“I draw on the energy of everybody in the class,” says Deborah Symond, founder of e-tailor Mode Sportif and self-anointed Soul Cycle fan girl. “It’s inspiring being around people who are pushing themselves to be better and to train harder.”
It’s not by coincidence that everyone from Victoria’s Secret models to school teachers and overworked office workers are flocking to its classes to alter not only their abs but to share in a common set of goals as well. “It’s a workout for both the body and mind,” says Symond, admitting she gets FOMO when it’s been too long between rides. “When I walk out of a Soul Cycle class I am full of energy and enthusiasm – I cannot wipe the smile from my face. I think that’s why it’s completely addictive.”
The notion that exercise alters both the body and the mind is not a ground-breaking concept by any stretch, but where these souped-up hyper-inclusive workouts differs is in the shared sense of belonging enthusiasts get from recurring workouts with like-minded people which goes beyond casual acknowledgement to actual friendships and cliques. “Some of these activities actually satisfy some basic physiological needs, and one of those key ones is the idea of sense of belonging and being related to other people who are doing similar activities. You’ve got frequent interaction, you’ve got people who care about what you do, and you get warmth and security from those experiences: that’s very powerful,” says Dr Stephen Cobley, senior lecturer in exercise and sport science at the University of Sydney.
It’s the wellness world’s take on the share economy: peer-to-peer interaction that’s mutually beneficial, and it marks a shift from the naming and shaming, crack-the-whip-style boot camps towards more positive goal setting and reinforcement. Likewise, it goes well beyond the subpar acknowledgment you might give to the girl with the topknot who attends Tuesday’s 6pm Bikram yoga class. Nowadays, the line between gruelling exercise and social get-together is blurred: it’s not uncommon to know how your trainer likes their green juice, or where the mother-daughter duo training alongside you is going on their summer holiday.
Barry’s Bootcamp, which marries cardio and strength training via its outposts in the US, UK and Norway, encourages healthy hangouts. Post-workout, wearied enthusiasts head straight to the Fuel Bar for a protein shake while their happy endorphins are still circulating, perhaps replacing the need to catch up over cocktails, which evoke similarly happy feelings but aren’t nearly as gracious to your health or your waistline. The reason people get into a habitual exercise routine is as much to do with the social dimension of the workout, says Cobley, as the fitness pay-off. “There is a big social part of it and a social dynamic and that social sense of belonging, interaction. There’s a lot of emphasis on caring and support from a lot of the other people training there, which can feel very positive in a context where people are engaging in difficult work.”
It’s evidenced by the upsurge of female participation in fitness challenges like army-style obstacle course Tough Mudder, Nike+ Run Club, ultramarathons, even Sydney’s own City to Surf (last year, three generations of women from the same family overtook me on Heartbreak Hill). And the common thread? While they’re ultimately individual challenges, there’s an overriding team mentality, sense of camaraderie and BFF culture ingrained in each event.
I was somewhat apprehensive at buying into the hype that surrounds group fitness challenges – and high-fiving makes me cringe. When I Googled CrossFit Sydney and the slogan “We are not a gym, we are a community” stared back at me, I met it with an equal dose of apprehension and excitement.
Upon entry to the “community”, my anxieties are affirmed by the jungle gym situation on the back wall, but thankfully my trainer, Raph, empathised as she had found herself in a similar situation when she moved from Canada a while ago. “When I started at CrossFit Bare, I had only just moved to Australia and didn’t know anyone,” she explains, handing me my first weight. “Everyone was so kind and willing to help, not just with CrossFit but everything: where to get the best coffee, how to get my taxes done, inviting me to family Christmas. As someone who was here alone, I found they quickly became my family.”
It’s a refreshing antidote to the often exclusive nature of exercise fuelled by social media, which oftentimes hinges more on insecurity than positivity. “Every time you attack a new workout or try a new skill, you’re taking a chance, putting yourself out there and sharing your successes or failures with the class,” she adds. “This creates a bond where everyone is solely rooting for you to succeed and to be the best you can be. From here we see a whole new level of trust and friendship grow.” And let’s be honest, sometimes even the glowing memory of postworkout euphoria isn’t enough to get you moving, but if it involves catching up with your best friends? Sign me up.
“YOU’VE GOT FREQUENT INTERACTION, PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT WHAT YOU DO … THAT’S VERY POWERFUL”