[freelancemomma]

Anyone else prefer classes to solo workouts? I discovered this soon after joining a gym (for the first time in my life) at almost 55 last year. I've been a member for 3 months, and a couple of times I couldn't get into a class because it was full, so I tried the elliptical trainer and absolutely HATED it. I seem to feed off the energy of the other people and feel more accountable in a group setting (though sometimes the instructors are TOO perky, which annoys me). When exercising alone it's all too easy for this inner dialogue to take place:

Me: Do I really have to do this?

Me: No, you don't.

Me: Oh, thanks for telling me. Guess I'll stop now.

So, I don't think I'll be buying any exercise videos soon. I know other people who hate classes and much prefer going solo. It always interests me to learn how different everyone is. Feel free to comment on your own experience.

Freelance

[Nadya]

I have Social Anxiety so classes scare the crud out of me. x.x

The closest I get to working out with others is seeing my personal trainer.

[Sylvied]

One thing I've always loved about classes is that they're harder to procrastinate about. If i just have plans to exercise, I can put them off until they don't happen at all. If I have a class, it's like having an appointment (and, I may have paid extra for it) so I'm more likely to be there on time every time.

[sontaikle]

Honestly I love exercise classes because I find that I push myself harder. It's only been recently that I've been willing to challenge myself solo. Without the motivation of the scale, I've needed to work towards fitness goals.

I also find that in my group fitness classes that you build up a family and a support network. If you're not there they will notice! I remember during Christmas break when I was off and I went in the mornings instead of the evenings...when I returned the following week the evening crew was asking me where I was! Haha! They said stuff like "what you think you're skinny now so you can stop coming?" They forget that I'm a teacher sometimes...so whenever the schools are closed I will go to the gym in the mornings instead.

Some people CAN do it alone, but I think for a lot of us it is just so much easier if we have people we can be accountable with and can push us further than we thought we could go.

[Talina]

I dislike classes because I don't like people seeing me workout. I know that people aren't really watching me, but I like my privacy. Now if only there was a way to set up the tv so that at 7:00 AM it auto turned on and loads up an exercise video. That would be like having a set time for a class!

[sontaikle]

Originally Posted by Talina

I dislike classes because I don't like people seeing me workout. I know that people aren't really watching me, but I like my privacy. Now if only there was a way to set up the tv so that at 7:00 AM it auto turned on and loads up an exercise video. That would be like having a set time for a class!

...I'm a giant geek and now you've got me thinking of the best way to do that.

It IS possible, tbh.

[Eliana]

I love classes and I have a lot of anxiety issues too! I have found my morning group to be quite regular and over time we've built relationships and like Sontaikle says, they will ask where you've been.

I'm good with solo exercise too. I'm a numbers girl so I'm equally motivated to watch myself go further/faster or lift stronger. No outside motivation needed. But I just get more enjoyment out of the classes and look forward to them. Plus, it feels like there's no thinking required.

[berryblondeboys]

I cannot do machines, period. I cannot just stretch on my own or lift on my own. Period. I have absolutely no inner voice that says to just DO IT. I need that class environment to want to do it. Plus, I would hate the monotony of a machine. I need variety of movements - constantly. So, classes it is.

Now, with my last weight loss venture over a decade ago, I did it with workout videos, but I felt I was a member of the class. I was "among" them. But now that I've been to live classes, I haven't been able to force myself to do a single video. Though I think I would if my only other alternative was machines or the treadmill or the like.

[Talina]

Originally Posted by sontaikle

...I'm a giant geek and now you've got me thinking of the best way to do that.

It IS possible, tbh.

I'm a big geek as well. That's where I got the idea from. The biggest problem would be turning on the tv at a set time because I don't want to leave it on all night. I'm sure I could fairly easily find or tweak a program to play a video from the computer at a set time. My house isn't currently networked very well, but I'm moving soon and plan to set up an elaborate network.

I wish I had a friend so we could do workouts together. That's what makes me give it my all and keep going.

[fitmom]

I wish I could join a gym or hire a trainer but that's just not in the budget right now. So I workout at home, totally solo. I do have a program that I'm following so that provides the guidance. The closest thing I have to a workout buddy is occasionally my older son who is 10 will join me for a sprinting session at the local high school track which is always fun. Other than that, it's just me.

I've started taking some classes and I'm surprised that I like it - it gives me a structure of the exercises to do, I get a teacher to correct me, and everyone is really into their own work-out, so I'm not self-conscious about what I'm doing. And once the time is up, I'm done.

[lin43]

Count me in as a person who loves classes. I try to go to 2-3 a week. I work out on my own otherwise, but if I could, I would go to a class 6 days a week.