Do you do Zumba? Do you do NIA? How about Les Mills Body Pump or Barre3? Jazzercise, remember from the 1980’s is also making a comeback. Well if you say yes to any of these or any other dance exercise class, you are so in!Many gyms about a decade ago thought that rooms devoted to exercise dance classes was too valuable of real estate and reduced their floor space for more machines. Now gyms are moving out the machines and putting down floors and turning up the music.
Why the change? Why group exercise? Is it just the latest trend?
My opinion is machines are boring. Everyone is tuned into their own music or their own screen and not interacting. Exercising by yourself makes it easier to cheat on your work-out time. In a class there is a beginning and an end. In a class there is music you like or don’t like but you still exercise to the beat. In a class you can talk with people around you. In a class the instructor can instruct and actually help you from hurting yourself!
Yoga, Pilates or Spinning classes are wonderful, but give me a class filled with upbeat music, no machines, and I can forget that I am exercising. Hot flashes even merge into sweat! So are you working out with friends too?
8 comments:
I love spinning for this reason! I got so bored with walking on a treadmill with my earphones on. Plus - I get a little competitive with the biker next to me :) Rachel
I've always loved dance and other movement. And I've always preferred those classes to boring, repetitive gym workouts. I think people can get a better workout too. Those activities involve so many more muscles than the handful used in working with machines.
I have always disliked the gym so I never worked out. But once I found Bikram (hot) yoga- I loved it! I have also always preferred to be outside like climbing the mountain near my house which doesn't seem like I am working out either.
But definitely glad gyms are adding more classes instead of machines.
The music and instruction is fun and helpful. Yoga is great too for many people. Those machines are good for at home if you are watching some TV or something to distract you from what you are doing!
I love zumba!! I love dancing period. And yes, the run of the mill workout can get really boring - my solution: I do a 7 minute muscle/9 minute cardio and 3x per week I add a 3 minute ab. Incredible system and I'm in and out quick! (More time for dancing)
While I love working out with a partner, dance classes always make me feel awkward. I'm going one way and everyone else is going the other way. My favorite exercise is running or a long hike, which I love to share with someone whenever possible.
Nicole, once you get into it,not everyone is on the same page and that makes it fun, and no one is looking at you.
I took an Irish Folk dancing class with some very serious dancers and I was out to lunch on the moves and laughed for an hour straight!
Michelle,What a great work-out!
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