THE POWER OF THE PACK
Never want to miss another exercise session? Then find your group fitness tribe, says Sarah Tomczak. Belong and you will grow strong…
Sarah Tomczak on how group fitness sessions are great for body and mind
When I lived in New York, I attended a fitness class called willpower & grace at the Equinox on 19th and Broadway. It was as cool as the American TV show of the almost-same name, combined core work and cardio and had a cult following. This was about 15 years ago – before classes like Psycle spawned obsessive devotees – but the women at this Wednesday night session at 7pm attended with religious fervour. And over the weeks and months, they became more of a community than mere yoga-mat buddies – friendships formed, people adopted a regular spot in class and if they missed a session, others called to check they were okay. So when the instructor, and creator, Stacey Lei Krauss suddenly revealed she was moving to California and played Leaving
On A Jet Plane during the final class warm-down, people burst into tears, and shouted out that they loved her and their fellow classmates. It felt more akin to the Harlem church services I’d experienced than any gym class, and even though I was more of a sporadic attendee (I did circuit training with Stacey at a gym closer to my apartment), I too was swept away by the swell of emotion and sobbed as well.
It was the first time I’d experienced the power of group fitness – but not the last. A decade later, after having my first child, I joined an exercise class tailored for new mums. We met around 8pm, on Blackheath, during dark autumnal nights. We were sleep deprived, with swollen breasts and soft rolls of stubborn baby weight – we were also filled with giddy elation to have a precious 45 minutes away from our three-month-old babies, even if we spent it doing burpees and shuttle runs. That bi-weekly workout session was a lifeline for us and I felt far more commitment and loyalty to those women than I have to any personal trainer. And now I have joined the Hearst running club – a group of men and women from a handful of the magazines in our company, who didn’t know each other previously, but now come together, rain or shine, to stretch our legs, burn a few calories and find a little camaraderie in something other than our day jobs. Of course, I don’t need to tell you that this is an easier appointment to keep than most others in my diary, because if you’ve tried group fitness, you’ll know that already.
A study published in the Journal Of The American Osteopathic Association found that group exercise participants showed a 12.6% gain in mental wellbeing; a 24.8% improvement in physical fitness and a 26.2% reduction in stress levels. Apparently, those that exercised individually had to put in more effort with no significant change to quality of life. And Lara Milward, co-founder of Blitzfitness, agrees. She says, ‘There is a theory in psychology called “The Need to Belong”. It points to our need for interpersonal connections; and for them to be lasting and significant. In the fitness industry, we see it everywhere; cycling clubs, yoga classes, bootcamps and running groups.’ She adds, ‘However smart your phone, however sophisticated your app and however wearable your technology, nothing replaces the reality of shared experience. Group exercise can fill that social need, as well as delivering physical and emotional wellbeing. More bang for your buck all round!’
I second that. The great thing about a group activity is that it becomes more than just the exercise. Yes, the health benefits are key, but in a way, the feelgood factor is doubled by the fact you’re building friendships along the way. And it keeps you attending regularly when you feel you’re doing it not just for yourself, but for the rest of the group, too. But don’t just take my word for it, try it for yourself.