How to Choose the Right Fitness Class for You

When we opened our new Northwood gym, we dedicated an entire floor of our boutique studio to exercise classes.

The reason?

Well, we simply think they’re great.

A gym class is packed with benefits, including pushing you to work harder, getting you to meet new friends, and giving you expert advice throughout a workout.

If you want to take part in an exercise class, but you’re unsure on just which one to pick, then we’ve created this handy guide to help you find the ideal group session for you.

Let’s take a look.

The Variety of Fitness Classes Available

There are a wide variety of gym classes that you can pick from.

From long sweat-fests that burn huge amounts of calories, to sessions designed to lower your heart rate and slow things down.

There are sessions that last 20 minutes, and some session that last 2 hours.

Gym classes are growing in popularity, with over 6 million people attending a class in 2020 (and the number is growing).

Group exercise is quickly becoming one of the nation’s most popular ways to get fit and build muscle, and whether you like a rapid 20-minute HIIT session, or prefer to catch your breath with an hour long yoga session, we’re sure to have the perfect class for you at Trojan Fitness.

But which one should you attend?

Five Tips on Picking the Right Exercise Class

There are a lot of fitness classes out there and wading through them all to find the perfect one can be tricky.

But don’t worry, as we’ve collected five top tips on how you can pick the perfect class for you, starting with knowing what you can handle.

Know Your Fitness Levels

Many different types of people go to the gym.

There are experts who have been working out for years and know their workouts down to the second.

Then there are the gym-beginners who are taking their first steps on their fitness journey.

Both of these gym-goers will have classes tailored to them, so make sure to do your research and not pick something that will be too tough or too easy.

There are different levels of HIIT training for example, ranging from a quick calorie-buster, to a tough session consisting of weightlifting and more.

If you go too hard too fast, you run the risk of injury, and you also may not find the session much fun.

The best thing to do is speak with an instructor and explain your fitness level and the instructor will point you towards the perfect class.

Progress in fitness requires working at the right level, so pick your duration, intensity, and difficulty wisely.

Decide What You Want from the Gym

People go to the gym for different reasons.

For some people, they like to get their headphones on, drown out the sound of everyone else, and focus on nothing more than pushing out some more reps.

Other people see the gym as a social place and enjoy getting to know likeminded people.

Depending on what you like, there is a gym class perfect for you.

If you like to go it alone, why not look at spinning, where you can focus on nothing more than the instructor, the music, and your bike. This isn’t a class where you spend a lot of time speaking with other people so is great for the more introvert exerciser.

If you want something much more social, then slower paced workouts work well, such as yoga, where you aren’t out of breath and have the time and space to chat with your fellow yogi and get to know them.

Know What You Want to Achieve

There are two main things people set as a goal when heading to the gym.

Some people go to lose weight, and some go to build muscle.

Depending on what your goal is, there will be an exercise class suited to your needs.

If you want to build those biceps, then going through some circuit training or a bootcamp exercise will be a great class for you.

This sees you hopping between workstations and doing various exercises to build some muscle such as squats, press ups, and much more.

If you’re looking to lose weight, you want to be choosing a class that gets you sweating, such as the aforementioned spinning.

Some gym-goers actually want a bit of both, and that’s fine.

If that sounds like you, then why not try a HIIT class, which involves some muscle-building exercises interspersed with some great cardio exercises.

Make Sure You’re Picking the Right One for Your Body

For some people, exercising isn’t as easy as for others.

For example, if you have a recurring injury, you may not be able to perform certain exercises. This doesn’t mean you have to sit a gym class out though.

If you have a leg injury and want to avoid high impact exercises, then Pilates is a great class for helping you improve core strength while not putting too much impact stress on your body.

If you’re pregnant, then it is recommended to not do high intensity exercise which involves lots of jumping. For many pregnant people though, they still want to exercise. Tailored yoga sessions are available in some gyms that focus solely on exercises fit for pregnancy.

If you’re working hard on upper body strength on some days, and want something to work your lower body, or vice-versa, then finding the right fitness class can be the difference between a successful body transformation or gym burnout and injury, so choose wisely, and of course, if you are unsure of whether your body is able to perform an exercise, always speak with your trainer who can discuss this further with you.

Choose Something You Enjoy

Our final tip is to choose an exercise class that you enjoy doing.

If you can find a passion and something that you actually enjoy doing, then the whole exercise process becomes much more fun, and you will soon find yourself doing longer exercises more frequently.

By picking an exercise class that you like taking part in, you are boosting your chance of keeping up with the classes and making your way through each one.

The beauty of group classes is that you form a camaraderie with your fellow participants, and this can help get you over the line, whether you’re looking to lose calories or build muscle.

While some exercise classes can be tough, they are all made to be enjoyable. With friendly trainers there to help you push yourself and ensure you’re working out with the right form, music played to get your adrenaline pumping, or even the right ambience being set for a yoga session, all create an atmosphere tailor-made to perform a session that is much more than just exercise.

Exercise Classes at Trojan Fitness

At Trojan Fitness, we have a wide variety of exercise classes available that can help you along your body transformation.

If you want to know more or would like to discuss any of the tips raised in this blog, get in touch with our team today.