Vol. 5 No. 2, February 2008
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Group Dynamics
Exercise classes blend movement and motivation
All too easily, the gray days of winter can tempt you to crawl into your cave, flip on the TV and hibernate all winter, venturing out only for food and the occasional paycheck.
What about your exercise plan? Not motivated, you say? You’re not alone. But think about it. Why do bears hibernate? To conserve their fat stores so they can survive through the winter. You are not a bear. And if you’re like most Americans, the last thing you want is to hang on to layers of excess avoirdupois.
Though motivation can’t be manufactured, like enthusiasm it can be “caught” from other people. Sign up for a group exercise class and drag a pal with you. Group exercise classes mix movement and motivation (and hey, you might even have some fun).
Personally, I’ve avoided aerobics since the 1980s, when my watch got caught in my hair barrette during a simple step routine (lucky I was wearing leg warmers, or I may have been injured!).
It was a bit intimidating to go back. But during the warm-up, I quickly became one with my classmates. Together we did what so few of us can do on our own—finish an invigorating class, burn fat and calories, tone and stretch, and thoroughly enjoy it.
The upbeat music, the instructor’s encouragement and the group’s camaraderie made me almost forget I was exercising. The energy in the room added to the fun, and you could almost feel a shared release of stress as we worked out.
The time flew and soon I was glowing, energized and in a great mood (almost in spite of myself).
Exercise Class Etiquette
• Choose the class that best matches your fitness goals
• Walk in and smile at your teammates
• Follow the leader’s instructions (but listen to your body, and modify the routine when necessary)
• Let out a whoop when you feel you’ve earned it
• Try additional classes for new challenges and workout variation
Fast Fit Tips
• Do your cardio work after you lift weights, not before, or do it on a separate day. Performing aerobic-type exercise fatigues you for weight training, and exhaustion or inattention during weight training can lead to injury.
• Stretch to increase your flexibility. Because inactive muscles grow shorter, their range of motion becomes progressively limited. Reverse that process by doing gentle but thorough stretching exercises before and after workouts and at other times during the week.
• With any kind of exercise, concentrate on doing the movement correctly, with intention. Exercising mindlessly without focusing on proper form and muscle movement will give you negligible results.
