Effective fitness classes can be group or individual. During joint weight loss with other people, the athlete acquires additional motivation, striving to surpass the successes of his classmates.
But when practicing alone with a fitness instructor, more attention is paid to a person, and the training program adjusts to his physiological characteristics and his goal. Understanding the specifics of group training, the athlete will be able to make the right decision on the appropriateness of this type of training in his particular case.
The benefits of group fitness exercises for weight loss
Group fitness classes, like other types of physical activity, have their advantages and disadvantages.
Among the positive aspects of this type of training are:
- A large number of already developed fitness programs designed for any level of physical fitness. Given that the vast majority of fitness clubs practice several areas of training, an athlete can try all possible options before deciding the most suitable for himself. In addition, for effective weight loss it is also useful to combine several types of physical activity of varying intensity.
- There is no need to draw up an individual training program and its regular correction in the future, based on the athlete’s already achieved results. The only thing that is required from the visitor of group fitness classes is to come to the training on time, having enough strength to perform the exercises demonstrated by the trainer.
- The presence of additional motivation. It is more difficult for a slimming person to refuse to play sports or to begin to do half-leg exercises if other members of the group show more obvious results of their training.
- The ability to receive a load during group fitness for beginners or people who have a number of frivolous contraindications for sports. Most fitness areas for group workouts are designed for people with low or medium levels of physical fitness. This will allow those who are just starting to lose weight to study the capabilities of their own body and understand what type of load suits them best.
Despite the large number of positive aspects of group fitness, such sports also have significant disadvantages, which must be taken into account when making the final decision on sports in this direction.
For instance:
- The inability to individually adjust the training program. The only thing that during group training is selected by each person personally for themselves is the working weight of the sports equipment. The number of approaches and the total number of repetitions of the exercise is the same for all, regardless of the initial parameters of losing weight, the goal set by him and the presence of contraindications.
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A high risk of injury to a novice athlete. If a person has no idea how to choose the working weight and what safety precautions you need to follow when working with a sports equipment, he runs the risk of getting muscle strain, tendon rupture or joint dislocation. Despite the constant presence of the fitness trainer during the session, he is physically unable to control every member of the group every second.
- The likelihood of overtraining . Losing weight, trying to match the level of other members of the group, can overexert his body, as a result of which lactic acid will accumulate in muscles in large quantities, which provokes the occurrence of pain in the post-training period.
- The lack of pronounced progress as a result of training. Most fitness clubs operate according to the already developed universal training schemes. Such programs do not provide for adjustments based on the physical fitness of a particular person. The absence of changes in the intensity of loads leads to a decrease in the effectiveness of sports.
- Attachment to the schedule of your group. Losing weight is forced to attend a sports facility at a set time, regardless of whether it is convenient for him or not.
Types of fitness
Group fitness classes come in various types and focuses.
For weight loss, the most effective of them are:
| Type of fitness | Short description |
| Body flex |
Breathing exercises consisting of exercises involving the diaphragm. The essence of such complexes is the large-scale saturation of body cells with oxygen, which is actively involved in the process of fat burning. With the help of regular exercises, you can not only reduce body fat, but also significantly improve muscle tone and tighten the skin in problem areas, without causing the formation of stretch marks. As part of this type of fitness, exercise is also classified into:
|
| Workout |
An intense type of training, implying the performance of gymnastic exercises with a minimum set of sports equipment. Weight loss in this case occurs due to the alternation of types of loads (cardio and strength training). Workout is usually classified into 2 subspecies:
|
| Pilates | A low-intensity type of fitness that combines a static load, stretching, breathing exercises and yoga elements. With regular Pilates exercises, the most obvious result in losing weight can be achieved in the lower abdomen, sides and waist. This type of fitness is aimed solely at creating a feminine figure and maintaining the overall tone of the body, and not at building muscle mass. |
| Shaping | This kind of fitness is suitable for people of all ages. It involves performing rhythmic gymnastics in a strictly defined order, which allows, depending on the athlete’s goal, to achieve anabolic (increase in muscle mass with the help of strength training) or catabolic effect (the main goal of such classes is active weight loss). |
| Aerobics | An effective method of getting rid of subcutaneous fat using high intensity cardio loads (running, jumping, squats at a fast pace). This type of fitness is not suitable for people suffering from disorders in the cardiovascular system (arrhythmia, tachycardia, hypertension). |
| Crossfit | This type of training is aimed at increasing the endurance of the athlete and improving his physical fitness. These high-intensity classes combine strength and cardio training, due to which, after 4-5 weeks of regular classes, the athlete will be able to achieve a decrease in body fat, followed by its replacement with muscle mass. |
Fitness choice
Group fitness classes will be effective for losing weight only if the training course is selected for a specific person based on his physical fitness, baseline data and existing health restrictions.
It is important for an athlete to navigate in 2 main issues:
- what to look for when choosing the direction of group fitness classes;
- How to choose a weight loss training program.
The first step in choosing the type of training should be a visit to the testing room, located in the vast majority of fitness centers. After questioning a client, a medical worker will carry out basic procedures for determining the state of human health.
At the end of his examination, the specialist will give recommendations to the beginner on the type of fitness, with which he will be able to achieve results in the shortest possible time.
When evaluating the sports direction proposed by the doctor, it is important for the losing weight to pay attention to:
- The level of training of the main group. If the group was formed a long time ago, then most of its members are already familiar with the exercises and are engaged in a complicated mode.
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Professionalism of a fitness instructor. The trainer should be attentive to each member of the group, try to control the observance by the athletes of the technique of performing the exercises, answer the questions that arise, and also understand the basics of physiology in order to be competent enough to draw up a training program.
- Class schedule . Training time should be as convenient as possible for losing weight. Otherwise, he will periodically have to skip classes, which will significantly reduce the load efficiency.
In order not to make a mistake in choosing, a beginner should attend a trial lesson in a specific fitness orientation, and then evaluate his well-being and emotional mood, necessary for further work on himself. To understand whether the program of workouts for weight loss offered by a particular fitness instructor is possible only after talking with him.
In this case, attention should be paid to the following aspects:
- age of athletes;
- training intensity;
- a combination of different types of loads (cardio and power);
- admissibility of the exercise, taking into account the existing restrictions on the state of health of the losing weight.
The right choice of fitness does not guarantee the rapid disposal of the athlete from the fat layer. The key point in losing weight is to adhere to the principles of proper nutrition and regular exercise.
The rules and secrets of effective fitness for weight loss
Group fitness classes will bring visible weight loss to the weight loss after 3-4 weeks of regular training, subject to the basic recommendations of experienced instructors and nutritionists.
For instance:
- For the purpose of losing weight, it is recommended to exercise 3-4 times a week for 1.5 – 2 hours. Longer or more frequent loads can lead to overtraining of muscles and pain in the body, due to which the intervals between subsequent sessions of the athlete will become longer. This trend will lead to a decrease in the effectiveness of the training.
- Perform exercises for weight loss should be in strict accordance with generally accepted technique. This will not only make the session as effective as possible, but also minimize the risk of injury. If during the training the athlete does not understand the algorithm of the exercise, then you must skip it or ask a question to the fitness instructor.
- It is important to monitor your heart rate. During cardio loads, the pulse range should vary from 120 to 140 beats / min, and during strength training – from 140 to 160 beats / min.
- Fitness complexes for weight loss should begin and end with a warm-up and a slow-down, respectively. If warming up and stretching are not provided for by the basic program of group training, their implementation can be done individually by making them yourself, having come to class for 15 minutes. before
- Give proper time to night sleep and rest during the day. Ignoring this recommendation can lead to physical exhaustion of the body, which will result in weakened immunity, muscle pain and an increased risk of injury during sports.
- Exclude from the diet or minimize the number of fried foods, smoked, salted, spicy, flour and sweet foods. Fast carbohydrates, despite the immediate increase in energy in losing weight after their consumption, are not absorbed by the body, but are “deposited” on the most problematic areas – stomach, sides, hips, buttocks, back and arms.
- Refuse to eat 2 hours before and within 1 hour after the proposed group session. This will provoke the need for the body to generate energy, breaking down fat deposits.
- Observe drinking regimen not only during classes, but also during wakefulness in general. A sufficient amount of fluid consumed by an athlete helps to accelerate metabolic processes and maintain the normal functioning of all vital systems and internal organs.
- Keep a food diary. In the notebook, record not only the name of the dish and its ingredients, but also the volume of the portion consumed. This will allow you to analyze eating habits, avoiding mistakes when losing weight in the future.
In addition to following the above recommendations, it is important for a slimming person to pay attention to their psychological state.
You should not scold yourself for the eaten bun, it’s better to find out the reasons for “seizing”, eliminate them in the future, pay attention to positive changes in your appearance, encouraging yourself for the work done in ways that are “safe” for the figure, for example, by the long-awaited purchase of a new T-shirt or a trip to the cinema.
Group workouts for weight loss
Fitness taught by instructors during group classes can vary depending on the physical fitness and age of the majority of those present, as well as the specifics of their chosen course.
The most effective weight loss complexes, designed for people under the age of 35 years who do not have serious restrictions on playing sports, are as follows:
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Low-intensity fitness: tilts the body to the right / left – 2 minutes. (to complicate the exercise it is permissible to use elastic loops
); swinging legs from the supine position – 5 sets of 30 reps for each leg (you can also use sports elastic bands, making it difficult for the athlete to have to overcome the loop resistance during the swing); swing legs up from the “plank” position (legs should be lifted as slowly as possible, fixing them for 10 seconds at the highest point) – 4 * 30 for each leg; lunges forward from the spot (to increase the load it is permissible to use dumbbells as weights) – 6 * 20 for each leg; gluteal bridge (with fixation of the pelvis at the upper point, at least for 20 seconds) – 4 * 30.
- High Intensity Fitness: jumping on a hill (with insufficient physical preparation of losing weight it is permissible not to jump, but to step on a hill, while increasing the distance from the floor to the support) – 4 * 25; deep squats with weighting on the shoulders – 5 * 30; static squat (when the athlete is at the bottom of the squat, the front surfaces of his hips should form a straight line) – 3 sets of 1 min .; moving to the side with added steps in the squat – 2 sets of 1 min each. for each side; push-ups (if necessary, correction of the exercise to the actual level of physical preparation of the group members, it is permissible to use its variations, for example, push-ups from the knees or push-ups from elevations) – 5 * 20; static buttock bridge – 3 * 90 sec .; twisting on the press (on exhalation – exhalation; on muscle relaxation – inhalation) – 5 * 40.
Rest between approaches in the above options for group training should be no more than 40 seconds. Given the correct selection of the direction of group exercises for a specific person, fitness is able to bring the first results in losing weight after 4-5 weeks of regular training of an athlete.
During collective training, it is important for the losing weight to concentrate on observing the technique of performing the exercises and their own feelings, and not on the successes of those around them. Otherwise, dispersal of attention can lead to a decrease in the effectiveness of classes or even injury to a person.
Weight Loss Fitness Exercise Video
A set of fitness exercises for weight loss:
