How to properly incorporate group fitness classes into your workout routine …
When I was thinking about what to write this week, I went through my mind and replayed all the conversations I had with my group fitness members recently. I love that my members talk to me about their lives, and a common fitness-related question I’ve been getting is this: How do I incorporate group fitness classes into my routine when my goal is to do XYZ? When someone asks me this type of question, I go through with them exactly what their goals are, what they’re currently doing, and then I help them come up with a plan to try out moving forward.
While there’s definitely no such thing as blanket advice when it comes to health and fitness, today, I thought I’d share some of the guidance I give to people who ask me this question — in generalities, of course.
And why should you care about my advice? I’ve been teaching group fitness classes for more than 15 years, and I’m a currently certified NASM personal trainer and Precision Nutrition Coach too. I’m an imperfect human who doesn’t do everything right, but I do have some knowledge to pull from, even if I don’t always follow my own advice. (But much of the time, I do, by the way.)
Now, if you’re a local North Carolina person who attends my group fitness classes at Life Time Charlotte, the easy answer is this — Go to Ashley’s classes every single day, without fail. Just kidding! You don’t have to do that. But those who do, I see you, and I appreciate you.
And this is how to properly incorporate group fitness classes into your workout routine …
The first thing we do is look at your current routine …
- How many days are you exercising each week?
- What workouts are you currently doing?
- What are your current results?
- And how does this routine make you feel?
Look at your routine. Maybe even write it down. Is it different each week or similar? I usually suggest adopting a similar routine weekly, so you can stay on track. A similar routine each week would be doing the same type of workout every Monday, same type of workout every Wednesday, and so on. Taking group fitness classes on certain days each week is a great way to ensure you’re doing that. In addition, doing the same type of workout on certain days each week helps you to get better in those types of workouts (repetition matters in fitness).
Are you taking at least one day off of big workouts each week? If not, you should. Are you doing full-body strength workouts or full-body classes back-to-back too many days of the week? If so, you should probably move things around so you can have a day off or a lighter day in between the full-body sessions or switch to split body-part workouts on consecutive days. (And this is an issue I see with a lot of my members, because they’re so committed, they like to come every single day to certain full-body classes, which isn’t always the best decision for your body’s recovery process, but is sometimes the best decision for your mental health.)
For most people, I suggest working out three to six days a week with official workouts, then walking on the other days (treadmill or outside). I don’t think anyone needs to work out every single day, unless you’re preparing for an event or training for a competition. But just because you aren’t working out on a certain day doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be moving. Walking is amazing, and I think you can walk every single day of the week if you want.
Now, let’s talk about how you feel. If you’re taking five group fitness classes a week, and you feel great, you have great energy, and you like the way you look, then keep doing what you’re doing.
However, if you feel tired all the time, if you’re getting injuries and aches and pains, or if you’re gaining weight or losing strength, then it seems like you may need to make a change in your routine. Your body will often tell you when things aren’t quite right with what you’re doing, so be ready to listen to its call. You may not be doing enough or you may be doing way too much. I bet you already know the answer.
Next up, we need to find out if you’re doing workouts or classes that are aligned with your goals …
If you want to get strong, and you’re only taking cardio classes or classes that utilize really small weights, you might want to incorporate some heavier strength training. And I don’t necessarily mean you have to be on the fitness floor on a squat rack. Although most personal trainers will tell you that you have to work out on the fitness floor to get results, I don’t think you have to do that. if you prefer and love classes, you can create a routine that’s class focused that can get you to your goals.
For instance, if someone comes to me and they want to improve their strength, but they’re currently doing mostly cardio and weighted-yoga classes, I tell them to add in some heavier-weight classes on two to three days a week to start and consider dropping one of those weighted-yoga classes. I suggest they do those heavier-weight classes with a day off or just walking in between, so that they’re not going too hard back to back on consecutive days (and so that their muscles have time to recover and repair).
I love to schedule a workout week with a bigger full-body strength class on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with walking or lighter stuff on Tuesday and Thursday. But of course, the exact routine will be up to you, your lifestyle and your preferences.
Here’s an example of a mostly group fitness routine to get you strong:
- Monday: Full-body barbell class
- Tuesday: Walking or rest
- Wednesday: Weighted circuit class
- Thursday: Walking or light yoga
- Friday: Full-body barbell class
- Saturday: Full-body combo cardio/strength class
- Sunday: Walking or rest
Here’s an example of a partial group fitness routine to get you strong:
- Monday: Full-body barbell class
- Tuesday: Walking
- Wednesday: Lower-body fitness floor workout
- Thursday: Upper-body fitness floor workout
- Friday: Walking or light yoga
- Saturday: Full-body cardio/strength combo class
- Sunday: Walking or rest
Here’s an example of a mostly group fitness routine to get you more mobile and flexible:
- Monday: Full-body barre class
- Tuesday: Walking
- Wednesday: Weighted yoga class
- Thursday: Walking or light yoga
- Friday: Full-body combo cardio/strength class
- Saturday: Full-body barre class
- Sunday: Walking or rest
These examples are not perfect, of course. But they’re general outlines to showcase how you can possibly arrange your own week, based on your goals.
We should also talk about the fact that if you love a particular type of class and it makes you happy, you should take that class every single week …
But let’s talk about preference and enjoyment, because to me, that matters. Some personal trainers will tell you to only do super-effective strength-based workouts in your program in order to make progress. And that may be the case, but life is also about doing things you like to do. So if you like a class, take it, no matter what it means for your routine.
If your goal is to get stronger, but you love taking a dance class that focuses only on cardio, you should still go to the dance class. If you love something, do it. That’s my personal opinion and my professional opinion.
I never tell someone to stop taking a class that they really love, just because it doesn’t line up with the perfect weekly workout routine. So make sure you’re adding in classes that you truly enjoy. I would say focus on the goal much of the week, but throw in some fun when you can.
Then, we need to see if there are certain areas where you think you need more work …
Do you find that you have one area of your body that feels weaker than other areas and it’s just not being hit in the group fitness classes you’re taking? If that’s the case, maybe you need to commit to getting to the studio early or staying after to do some work on your own.
It could be that you need to do a bigger warm-up for that area of the body before the classes you take to get it activated and ready to fire up. Or, it could be that you need to meet with a personal trainer to get some help on how you can target that particular area of weakness.
While group fitness classes can be tailored to the individual, we must also remember that group classes won’t always be exactly what you need on that day. Be willing to do more before or after, if you have special areas of concern.
This is something I do, personally. I do my own warm-up before the classes I teach to get a little head start. And I also do one solo fitness floor workout each week to work on the things I need to work on as well, outside of the classes I teach. While I prefer group fitness classes, it’s not too hard to commit to that one workout each week that’s just for me, and I do think it supports my overall strength and mobility.
Additional things to consider when looking at how to properly incorporate group fitness classes into your workout routine …
These basics matter if you’re trying to get results, so make sure you’re looking at these big three.
Are you eating enough protein? You should probably be eating more protein than you’re currently eating. How do I know you probably need more? Because nearly everyone I know needs more protein. And if you want to build muscle and strength, your target should be to eat about the same amount of protein in grams as your goal bodyweight in pounds. Do you weigh 145 pounds like I do? Then try to eat about 145 grams of protein a day, and yes, that’s a lot.
Are you drinking enough water? You should probably be drinking about your bodyweight in ounces of water, with some added electrolytes or minerals in some of that water. And yes, that’s a lot of water. You may want to gradually work up to this goal. And once you’re there, you’ll feel awesome.
Do you get quality sleep at night? You should probably be getting about six to eight hours of sleep each night. And you should feel rested when you wake up. Your body recovers and repairs when you sleep, and that’s super important when you’re doing group fitness classes that require a lot of you. You also want to have proper energy to make it through classes. Some of that comes from the way you fuel your body, and some of that comes from getting the right rest.
And those are some of the basics! If you don’t have these essential wellness metrics down, it will be hard to make major improvements in your fitness through your workouts — whether that be group fitness-based workouts or solo workouts. So even just these may be a good place to start.
Final thoughts on how to incorporate group fitness classes into your workout routine …
I’m a true believer in the power of working out with others in a class setting.
Not only can you accomplish more in a group setting, but also, in a group setting, you can find valuable connection with other people, you can learn from your group fitness instructor, and you can find a sense of belonging, while you get fit.
There are so many ways to move your body in this world, and if you’re someone who chooses to do that primarily through group fitness classes, I support you. I hope you found these tips helpful, and I’m happy to answer any specific questions you may have in the comments or via an Instagram direct message.
Thanks again so much for reading this post on how to properly incorporate group fitness classes into your workout routine. Go off and get moving! 🙂 xoxo
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Questions of the day for you
How often do you take group fitness classes?
What’s your favorite way to work out?