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Hasina Khatib profile imageHasina Khatib
Are group fitness classes better than individual workouts?

When it comes to exercise, strength is, indeed, in numbers

Wanting to work towards becoming the healthiest, fittest version of yourself is a noble pursuit. However, even the most well-intentioned workout regimen has been known to get derailed by the temptation of the snooze button at 6 am. If you are looking to power through procrastination, the solution could lie in finding yourself an accountability buddy—or ten. Further proof of the same can be found in the rise and rise of group fitness classes. Beyond making a pretty picture for the ’gram, the pros also believe that communal workouts could be instrumental for dialling up motivation levels. We take a look at how group fitness classes are getting people up and moving again, as we try to shake off the slumber of the pandemic.

Despite offering private, one-on-one classes at Physique 57, founder Mallika Parekh observed that their group classes drew the strongest clientele.

Despite offering private, one-on-one classes at Physique 57, founder Mallika Parekh observed that their group classes drew the strongest clientele.

“After over two years of being locked indoors and working out virtually in our living rooms, group classes have ignited a community spirit,

“After over two years of being locked indoors and working out virtually in our living rooms, group classes have ignited a community spirit," says Robin Behl, co-founder of The Tribe.

Power of the pack

If you can’t scroll through Instagram anymore without stumbling upon a video of someone ending the day with a manic bout of group Zumba, it is because group classes have an old connection with India, says Mallika Parekh, founder of Physique 57 India. She says, “While group fitness classes have been popular in places like the United States since the 1970s, workouts such as yoga have traditionally encouraged people in India to try classes in a group format.” Once communal workouts became the norm, she believes that other formats were quick to grab a slice of the pie, such as callisthenics and aerobics, which both served as a big draw for women. Despite offering private, one-on-one classes at Physique 57, Parekh observed that their group classes drew the strongest clientele.

There is science backing the data—while one study affirms that people gravitate towards the workout behaviours of those around them, another study claims that people can lose more weight by hanging around fitter people. Those in quest of answers won’t have to look for long—Parekh explains that the Kohler Effect holds credit for the sudden uptick in motivation when working out as a group. She elaborates, “It has been observed that when people perform a task together in a group, they tend to perform at a higher capacity than if they attempt the same task as individuals. This has to do with our inherent competitive nature as humans and not wanting to be the weakest link in a group, which causes us to push ourselves more.”

Robin Behl, co-founder of The Tribe, seconds the notion. He observes that the extended periods of self-isolation during the pandemic may have stoked our collective desire to seek out more opportunities to meet up. “After over two years of being locked indoors and working out virtually in our living rooms, group classes have ignited a community spirit. Whether it is for socialising and making new friends or doing routines with your partner and friends, group sessions offer a compelling reason to show up and work out. At The Tribe, we have found group classes are especially fun because we literally become one family moving and working out together,” he says.

So what are the exercises that are most requested during his group sessions? Behl shares, “Burpees are one of the most popular exercises because it is a full-body move that demands all your energy and drains you out. Formats like HIIT, Tabata and interval training are popular too, and we like to further add an element of gamification, ranging from partner activities to colour-coded cones for reaction games.”

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"Exercise can anyway release endorphins, but when coupled with the feel-good factor of being surrounded by friendly, familiar faces again, it makes no challenge feel insurmountable." Image: Pexels

Parekh also believes that music can play a key role in getting people in the zone. “The energy that a group workout generates helps everyone get in the groove and boosts confidence as well—when we see others mastering a specific move, it makes us feel that we can do it too. Likewise, your own fitness journey and how far you have come could make others want to achieve the same goal,” she affirms.

But beyond offering physical benefits, Parekh believes that the emotional payoff needs to be counted as well. “When government guidelines allowed gyms and fitness centres like ours to reopen, we were overwhelmed by the positivity that clients brought with them into our studio. After being isolated in our homes for so long, being together in a group was an immensely emotional experience. Exercise can anyway release endorphins, but when coupled with the feel-good factor of being surrounded by friendly, familiar faces again, it makes no challenge feel insurmountable,” she concludes.

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