Gym or group classes: what to choose?

If you decide to start going to a fitness club, then first you need to decide where to go: to the gym or to group classes. What is more effective and what is the best place for a beginner to start?

Below we will look at the pros and cons of group classes and indoor classes. This will help you understand what to choose for fitness: a gym or group training.

Pros and cons of group classes

Most fitness clubs offer classes in which a group of 15-30 people train under the guidance of a professional instructor. Workouts can be of completely different directions: aerobics, dancing, cycling, crossfit, yoga, pilates.

Pros:

Even a complete beginner can get started with group training, while the gym requires you to learn basic fitness fundamentals.
Classes are conducted under the guidance of a trainer who will monitor the correct execution of exercises to avoid microtraumas and sprains.
While training in a group, you will be in constant tone, unlike in the gym, where you can be distracted and reduce the intensity of your workouts.
You will have a choice of various ready-made fitness programs (strength, aerobic, dance, low-intensity), among which you can choose the method that you like best and is closest to you.
Even if you have the necessary sports knowledge, group classes will always help you expand the standard set of exercises, learn new movements and combinations, and learn something new for yourself.
Classes in a group provide additional motivation: looking at other girls, you strive to improve and give your best.

Minuses:

Each sports club offers a limited range of group fitness programs. And the choice of trainers is not always wide enough.
The price of group classes is usually higher than visiting a gym.
Training takes place on certain days and times, so you always need to adapt to the prepared schedule.
As a rule, in group classes there is a limit on the number of people who can be in the room at the same time. This causes additional inconvenience.

As you can see, group classes are suitable even for those who have never done fitness. However, restrictions in the choice of programs and strict schedules make visiting them not entirely convenient.

Group training: all types and directions

Reviews

On the Internet, users actively share their successes in sports and weight loss. For many, an important selection criterion is public opinion, which in 78 cases out of 100 becomes the determining factor. Let's see what Internet users write about fitness and exercise equipment, which is better for losing weight.

Be sure to read: How to do aerobics correctly for effective weight loss?

Lyudmila, 34 years old, Taganrog “Good afternoon! I want to talk a little about how I managed to quickly lose 23 kilograms. Since childhood, I suffered from excess weight, and after 30 years, ears began to appear on my hips, cellulite, and sides. I went on a strict diet and severely limited myself in my favorite treats. I started playing sports. In the morning I run for 50 minutes, in the evening I ride a bike in the park. Twice a week I attend group classes at a dance studio, each time we learn new dance routines, do stretching and sometimes pumping. I advise all girls to exercise, eat right and lead an active lifestyle.”

Alexandra, 21 years old, Moscow “At the age of 20, I became a bodybuilding champion. I devoted my whole life to sports, three years ago I decided to seriously take up strength training. Every other day I do deadlifts and squats with heavy weights. I start every workout with a warm-up on the treadmill, this is an integral part of my training. The final episode is stretching. Before competitions, drying always begins so that the muscles can be shown as much as possible on stage. To be honest, I don’t recommend exercises with heavy weights to those who don’t plan to do it professionally.”

Konstantin, 28 years old, fitness instructor “Hello, girls often ask the question of where to start losing weight, what sport to choose for themselves. The primary goal is to get rid of extra pounds, this can only be achieved if you add cardio exercise to your diet. Regular fitness will help you burn calories faster and burn fat. After reaching the desired mark on the scales, you can begin exercising in the gym using exercise machines. Of course, a preliminary consultation with a trainer is a mandatory rule for any fitness center.”

Pros and cons of the gym

The gym is a set of strength and cardio equipment, as well as additional equipment: dumbbells, barbells, weights, mats, etc. Let's look at the pros and cons of going to the gym on your own without a personal trainer.

Pros:

The choice of fitness clubs is expanding. Firstly, there are much more ordinary “gyms” than halls with group classes. Secondly, you don't need to focus on the schedule of these workouts.
You independently regulate the load, intensity of the workout and its duration depending on your capabilities, mood and well-being.
Visiting the gym is not tied to a specific time, which means you choose what time you go to work out.
You can always reshape your fitness plan and dilute it with new exercises to diversify your workouts and prevent stagnation. In group classes, this is not up to you.
As a rule, it is in the gym that the most advanced in fitness practice, in contrast to group training, where the majority are beginners. Looking at toned bodies and other people's successes will give you additional incentive to get in shape. Yes, and learn something new.
Joining a gym is cheaper than working out in groups.

Minuses:

If you are a beginner, you will have to learn the basics of fitness and basic exercises with free weights and machines on your own. This requires not only your time, but also your desire.
When practicing independently in the gym, you will not have a trainer who could correct your exercise technique.
You will probably come across a situation more than once when the exercise machine you need is simply busy. This will be especially true for those who visit the gym in the evening after work - at this time the fitness clubs are sold out.
You yourself regulate the load and intensity of your training, so there is a high risk of not training at full strength.

As you can see, unlike group classes, the gym is more suitable for those who like to train on their own and are ready to learn the basics of fitness alone.

Self-training or classes with a personal trainer: what to choose?

Now let's see how things stand with the gym.

Advantages:

Free training schedule. You yourself regulate when and for how long to visit the gym.
The opportunity to work individually with a trainer who will take into account all your wishes and preferences and create an individual program.
Almost every club is guaranteed to have a gym, which increases its accessibility.
There is always the opportunity to rearrange your training and change its schedule. This is not possible in group classes.
As a rule, people who are more pumped up, literally and figuratively, go to the gym. This will be an additional incentive to move towards your cherished goal.

Flaws:

Independence can be a disadvantage for a newbie. You will have to regulate the whole process yourself and build a training plan. With a lack of knowledge, this is a big minus.
Lack of availability of necessary training equipment. This fact irritates many people the most. If there are a large number of people in the gym, it is almost impossible to perform circuit training with a certain number of approaches and circles.
Lack of control is chilling. Some trainees need more careful supervision, as they may be distracted too much by other things.

Perhaps these are the main pros and cons of the two types of training. Everyone must decide for themselves what is more important to them in the training process. It is generally accepted that it is better for beginners to start their journey with group training. The gym is definitely recommended for advanced athletes.

Gym or group classes: which one to choose?

It's time to sum up what is better and more effective - the gym or group classes. Of course, this is an individual question, but we can draw several conclusions.

If you are a beginner, it is better for you to stick to group classes. A ready-made workout and the help of an instructor will help you quickly get involved in fitness.
If you are not ready for rigid training schedules, then it is better to choose a gym. Being late can result in an uncomfortable place at the very back of the group or missing a workout due to the gym being overcrowded.
If you like to save money, then it is also better to choose a gym. Group fitness is always more expensive, and sometimes it is also limited by the number of visits per month.
If you lack incentive to exercise, sign up for group classes. Collective motivation works flawlessly.

If you have the opportunity, alternate between the gym and group classes. This will help you diversify your workouts and increase their effectiveness.

False Prejudice

NOT TRUE. The fair sex mistakenly believes that having crossed the threshold of the “rocking chair”, in just a few days their figure will become masculine and ugly.
IS IT TRUE. The effect on the body of men and women is actually radically different.
Lovely ladies have much lower testosterone levels, so you won’t be able to build huge biceps (unless you torture your body and take special medications). The main feature of the gym is the cyclical nature of the load, its intensity is quite high. Anaerobic exercises can transform your appearance in a short period of time, pump up beautiful muscles (their volume can be adjusted by the frequency of visits, the degree of load and, of course, nutrition). Therefore, the question of what is better - a gym or group classes, should be answered from the perspective of the goal that the athlete seeks to achieve. A sculpted figure, regardless of gender, dictates the need for exercise equipment. NOT TRUE. The load on the joints and spine in the gym is off the charts. IS IT TRUE. Dynamic loads on the joints of professional athletes demonstrate the opposite. Their knees are less likely to make an unpleasant cracking sound (a harbinger of arthrosis), their back is straight, and it is much easier to hold it in the correct position. The gym was created not only to transform muscle mass, but also to maintain health.

NOT TRUE. Exercising on exercise machines limits movements, making their range much poorer in proportion to how much time the athlete spends outside the walls of the gym. If you sign up for a dance fitness group immediately after class, nothing will work, because the muscles are programmed for a different kind of movement. IS IT TRUE. If you load the selected muscle correctly, it will feel better during group activity.

Why is the gym better than home workouts?

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Let me give you the benefits of working out at the gym, which will convince you that the gym is the best place to get your body in order.

Benefits of working out at the gym

There is no doubt that the benefits of working out in the gym cannot be overestimated, where everything is about health and there are so many people around who support and motivate each other. I will give you the advantages of working out in the gym that will convince you that this is the best option.

Atmosphere. You are in an uplifting atmosphere, and this motivates you to do better and improve yourself. You see other people around you and you give it your all in every set, so when people look at you they admire you.
Equipment. You don't have to spend many thousands on expensive gym equipment. The gyms have everything for you. Whether you want lots of cables or a back workout machine, the gym has it all. This greatly expands the range of exercise options you can perform during your workouts.
Support . There are always people around the gym and if you ever need help, you will definitely find support. This is essential to ensure proper safety when lifting large weights such as barbells.
Dumbbells. This could be an equipment category, but I look at it as a different category because there can be so many dumbbells and they are all very different. It's too expensive to buy yourself a large set of dumbbells to train at home. This is also another huge benefit for working out in the gym. Dumbbells give you a greater range of motion and are more flexible in your body mechanics.
Price. Sometimes it is much cheaper to buy a gym membership for a year than it is to buy enough equipment for a home gym.
Convenience for clients. Gyms offer things like protein shakes, towels, day care, tanning, massage and steam rooms. These are all unnecessary things, but they make your sports journey more fun.

Disadvantages of training at home

Of course, training at home is convenient, at first glance, cheap and it seems that you can exercise anytime, without having to go to the gym. But home workouts are not without their drawbacks. And although there are not so many of them, they play an important role in your physical fitness.

Equipment costs. This is the most obvious disadvantage when setting up a home gym. Setting up a good home gym can be very expensive, but the investment can be worth it if you are willing to put thousands and sometimes hundreds of thousands into it.
Lack of support. The absence of people can be very dangerous. You can get trapped by your own machines or injure yourself with heavy weights. And it's good if you get away with a few bruises. Sometimes, careless handling of equipment or lack of strength can literally lead to death.
Motivation . It may seem that solo training at home is the best option. There is no one there to judge you. However, there is no one who will motivate you to increase weight, improve performance, do more approaches, etc. You can hire a personal trainer for home workouts, but this will cost several times more than in the gym.