What Are the Benefits of a #fitnessfamily?
There’s no doubt you’re familiar with fitness and family independently, but have you heard of a “fitness family”? Or, because it’s 2019 and social media is always relevant, #fitnessfamily? If you haven’t, don’t fret. We’ll break it down below.
What is a #fitnessfamily and what are the most compelling reasons to join one?
A fitness family is exactly what it sounds like: a family, or group of people, gathered together to partake in some form of fitness. In other words, it’s a community of people you workout with on a consistent basis, or as some would say, sweat and “suffer” with. These days, that takes many forms, with a popular example being Nike’s Run Club. Every week, a group of people come together to run a set distance through major cities in the U.S. But while NRC certainly isn’t the only fitness family in existence, it serves to reinforce the research: working out in a supportive and fun community is proven to have a host of health benefits. After all, there’s strength in numbers, especially when we’re trying to live our healthiest life.
Atmosphere
If you ever played sports growing up, you know how special the atmosphere of a game or good practice is. That same atmosphere is attainable in adulthood in the form of group training. Perhaps it’s the endorphins, pumping music, everyone collectively working hard, or some combination of those, but working out in a group makes all the difference in having a productive sweat session simply because of the atmosphere. This family of people can easily become transformational if you’re looking for a new way to spice up your fitness routine, or are tired of working out solo. As if this isn’t compelling enough, Bustle magazine reported that participants in group exercise experienced increased mental quality of life and decreased stress levels.
Accountability and Healthy Competition
Who doesn’t enjoy a little bit of healthy competition? Whether it’s competition with ourselves or others, working out in a group or with your fitness family adds a layer of accountability to show up and perform at 100% every time. Being held accountable is what helps us be consistent, which ultimately aids in achieving our short and long-term goals in a timely and sustainable manner.
Motivation
Chances are, you’re more likely to push yourself harder when working out alongside others. Going hand in hand with accountability and showing up, a group atmosphere is motivating because it forces us to bring our best and truly reach new heights in our training regimen. This shows us what we’re capable of because no one likes to fall behind, right?
Fun!
Intrinsically, we are social beings. Numerous people report that one of their favorite aspects of training in a group is that it’s simply more fun than training alone and offers the sociability they may not be able to find in other areas of their life. Scheduling in workouts at the same time each week ensures we can partake in a fun fitness environment regularly. The ability to be social and enjoy those you workout with positively associates the two and has been shown to form lasting friendships, even outside of the gym.
Structure
In most group fitness classes, all that’s required of you is your attendance. The structure of the class or workout is determined by your trainer or leader, so you just have to show up, work hard, and enjoy yourself and the experience. Sounds like a pretty good deal, right?
Support
Living a healthy lifestyle comes with a unique set of challenges: working out regularly with a packed schedule, eating nutritious food, and caring for our overall wellness can be a handful to manage. However, it helps to have the consistent support of a fitness family to encourage hard work and perseverance in all areas of our fitness and wellness journey.
In Review
Regardless of your method of working out, a vast body of research has proven on multiple occasions that those who have some community to workout in, or some fitness family to rely on, are more likely to achieve results, gain confidence, and improve their health. Ultimately, training in a group fosters a positive environment and offers a space for us to become our best selves.
What It Looks Like at Movement Revolution and What We Believe
At Movement Revolution, one of our core beliefs is that everyone is an athlete. If you find yourself in the greater Portland area, we’d love to have you join us in one of our classes! We offer numerous styles of group training and personal training and most importantly: we have (perhaps a little too much) fun pushing each other to become better in every aspect of our training and lives. This makes our personal goals feel more achievable and sustainable, which is something we can all agree makes any fitness family feel rewarding.
This article was written by our very own Megan Carter.