When group exercise is all you need to keep fit

People take on group exercises. Photo by Rachel Mabala

What you need to know:

A common reason given for quitting an exercise or fitness programme is boredom. That is why some fitness experts advise people to engage in group exercises. As this story explains, its benefits include offering a social and fun environment.

People engage in workouts for various reasons. It could be leisure, desire to keep fit or to lose weight. In some cases, workouts may be part of treatment for specific health conditions.

Usually, these exercise programmes help to keep the body strong, fit and also reduce the risk of certain conditions such as obesity and heart complications.

However, many people find a lot of challenges engaging in exercise or workout individually, that is why some fitness experts advise people to take part in group exercises.

Jeff Ogik, a fitness instructor at Hotel Africana Health Club, says for people to benefit from group workouts, all the members should have similar targets for why they are engaging in a particular activity.

This, he says ensures that the group works hard, but also encourage each other to achieve their goals.
“When people train as a group, it motivates the weaker ones to engage more than they would have otherwise done so,” he says, adding that a group should however, not exceed more than four members for the fitness programme to be effective.

Dr Henry Baguma, a general practitioner at Nsambya hospital, says a small number of people can easily be monitored and their individual needs taken care of compared to a big one, as some members may become lazy. As a result, this could make it hard to achieve specific goals.

“Group exercises in which people have the same goal make the members comfortable with each other and therefore aspire to achieve their objectives collectively,” Dr Baguma explains.

He adds: In case a member of the group develops a problem during training, the rest of the members can offer support.”Dr Baguma says the benefits of group exercises often outweigh those that people engage in individually.

But Ogik says before a particular group engages in any exercise or fitness programme, they need to meet a fitness specialist to discuss their goals and how they want to achieve them. “Sharing goals with the trainer helps to identify the suitable workouts programmes for the members, that will then be designed to suit the needs of everyone,” he adds.

Jogging
One of the group exercises that people can engage in is jogging. Dr Baguma says jogging is a form of running that is usually done at a slow pace. This form of exercise helps a person to build strong bones and muscles, keep the body fit and maintain a healthy weight.

“The difference between jogging and running is the intensity, although both are forms of sweaty exercises that are recommended for everyone,” says Dr Baguma.

Bench press exercise
Another good group workout programmme is bench press exercise.

This form of workout keeps the whole body fit. Bench press is a bodybuilding and weightlifting programme, in which the person lies on a bench with their feet to the floor and then lifts a heavy object with both arms.

Yoga
Yoga is also considered an effective type of group exercise. According to Dr Baguma, yoga keeps the body flexible, builds muscle strength and reduces body weight. Other benefits of yoga include helping to rejuvenate the mind, body and soul.

“It brings together the physical and mental disciplines to achieve a peaceful body and mind. It also helps to manage stress and anxiety, and keeps a person relaxed,” notes Dr Baguma.

He says while many people may look at yoga as a practice of just stretching the body, if done over a long period of time, it creates a feeling of satisfaction and relieves stress.

Socket training
Ogik explains that socket training is another effective type group exercise, but which is usually recommended for those looking for quick results.

Through this kind of workout, the trainer engages the trainees in several types of workouts within a short period of time. This makes the trainees master speed, balance, flexibility and strength. It also helps in muscles building and weight loss. However, Ogik says with this form of workout, the fitness levels of each member in the group should be considered.

Advice
Ogik advises that if people are just starting out on a fitness programme, they need to engage in light exercises and build on the momentum overtime.
“Starters should exercise for a maximum of 45 minutes. Over stretching the body or engaging in a programme that is exhausting can cause health complications,” says Ogik. A well-balanced diet before doing any workouts is alo crucial.

“Training on an empty stomach is not advisable and can cause dizziness or fainting. After eating, a person should rest for at least two hours and allow digestion to take place before taking part in a workout programme,” he says.