Is it better to work out alone or in a group?

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  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    It depends on your introversion/extroversion. If you are in to cycling, swimming and running I’m guessing you are higher on the introversion scale. I like training alone and competing in a group. I am happy to place (or finish).

    Your combo of interests seems ideal for triathlon events.
  • MsHarryWinston
    MsHarryWinston Posts: 1,027 Member
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    I echo the previous sentiment that other people are the worst. Just leave me alone to lift my weights.
  • ladyhusker39
    ladyhusker39 Posts: 1,406 Member
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    I love to workout in a group. I take cardio classes when they weather's bad and I would never stick to strength training in the gym by myself. It bores me to tears so I do pump and sculpt classes.

    When the weather is nice, I love to walk/hike outside which I enjoy either alone or with company.
  • Emmey56
    Emmey56 Posts: 18 Member
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    I'm all about the group, I have never been one who likes physical activity, even as a kid. In September I joined a gym that has classes included, I'm there 4-5 Times a week. The only thing that gets me there is the classes. It motivates me to show up when I know other people are looking for me to be there.
  • ladyhusker39
    ladyhusker39 Posts: 1,406 Member
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    Emmey56 wrote: »
    I'm all about the group, I have never been one who likes physical activity, even as a kid. In September I joined a gym that has classes included, I'm there 4-5 Times a week. The only thing that gets me there is the classes. It motivates me to show up when I know other people are looking for me to be there.

    Yes, that's me too. I say it's all about what works for you and get you to consistently show up. That really is half the battle where working out is concerned. I see people in the gym who obviously love the workout room and cringe when I ask them if they take classes. And my Zumba peeps feel the same way about the treadmill.
  • jesspen91
    jesspen91 Posts: 1,383 Member
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    It depends for me. I hate team sports, they;re off the table. The gym is me time and I like it best when there are less people in the gym but I've done the odd group class and have enjoyed the social aspect. Running, I push myself much harder when running with others. My fist Parkrun I knocked over 5 minutes off my 5K pb.

    Do you live somewhere that does Parkrun? Its a free way to run with other people but it is still a race so you don't have to keep pace with anyone. I always go with my friend and we start together but tend to lose each other after the first kilometre and meet up again at the finish line.
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
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    I do both. I train alone to get faster, stronger, higher, etc., but also train in a team environment to push myself and my team to the next level of performance. Both have their strengths and weaknesses, but believe it is important to be adaptable enough to perform well under any circumstance.

  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    didn't read the whole thing, but um.

    " it does suggest that group settings are better when it comes to the psychological and emotional aspects of working out"

    all i can say is, i suspect the introverts all saw the researchers coming . . . and hid.

    it's not true of me. the whole thing reminds me of the 'milk is good for you!' battles experienced by people who were born with the '. . . unless you're lactose-intolerant' sidebar built in.
  • MsHarryWinston
    MsHarryWinston Posts: 1,027 Member
    edited November 2017
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    Oh, I just remembered that I have a caveat. Kickboxing. I like kickboxing with other people.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,103 Member
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    Tweaking_Time wrote: »
    This study (see link below) is admittedly using a small-targeted group, but the results are intriguing to me.

    https://gizmodo.com/working-out-in-a-group-is-better-for-your-mental-wellbe-1819983882

    What do you think - Is it better to work out alone or in a group?

    I personally would like to work out in a group but can't figure out how to do it since I swim, cycle and run. My reason for working out alone is that I would be holding back, or would be held back, by whoever I was working out with - not to mention the time/distance involved. But I have had a change in heart as of late and try to get at least a monthly group ride or run at slower pace to be inclusive to the slowest in the group...then go out for a sammich or pizza and a beer or whatever.

    There is no absolute better. For some people working out in a group is motivational. For other people working out in a group is a hassle that distracts them. Either way, if it either hinders your workout or, even worse, prevents you from working out, then do workout whatever way is most likely to keep you doing your workouts.
  • cbohling1987
    cbohling1987 Posts: 99 Member
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    jdlobb wrote: »
    the lasts 2 saturdays the community workout at my CrossFit gym involved team-based workouts.

    First week the class was divided into groups of 3. The workout had crazy high reps

    100 cal assault bike
    100 thrusters
    100 box jumps
    100 pullups
    100 box jumps
    100 thrusters
    100 cal assault bike

    Each person in the team would take turns doing as many reps as they could, then tap out, repeat until all reps were done.

    It was so much fun.

    Last we we were paired off for another team-based workout

    AMRAP 30

    50 cal row
    400m run

    4 rounds of "Grace"

    5 pullups
    10 pushups
    15 air squats

    Each person would do half the exercise, then tap off for the other person. So 25 calories on the rower, swap, then run 200m, swap, 1 round of grace, swap, ect.

    Also turned out to be a hell of a lot of fun

    Did you do that 100 back squats/100 dead lifts/100 bench press WOD last week?
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
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    ladyhusker39 wrote: »
    Emmey56 wrote: »
    I'm all about the group, I have never been one who likes physical activity, even as a kid. In September I joined a gym that has classes included, I'm there 4-5 Times a week. The only thing that gets me there is the classes. It motivates me to show up when I know other people are looking for me to be there.

    Yes, that's me too. I say it's all about what works for you and get you to consistently show up. That really is half the battle where working out is concerned. I see people in the gym who obviously love the workout room and cringe when I ask them if they take classes. And my Zumba peeps feel the same way about the treadmill.

    I'm one of those. I do enjoy group cardio though (not aerobic classes however).
  • jdlobb
    jdlobb Posts: 1,232 Member
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    cbohling1987 wrote: »
    jdlobb wrote: »
    the lasts 2 saturdays the community workout at my CrossFit gym involved team-based workouts.

    First week the class was divided into groups of 3. The workout had crazy high reps

    100 cal assault bike
    100 thrusters
    100 box jumps
    100 pullups
    100 box jumps
    100 thrusters
    100 cal assault bike

    Each person in the team would take turns doing as many reps as they could, then tap out, repeat until all reps were done.

    It was so much fun.

    Last we we were paired off for another team-based workout

    AMRAP 30

    50 cal row
    400m run

    4 rounds of "Grace"

    5 pullups
    10 pushups
    15 air squats

    Each person would do half the exercise, then tap off for the other person. So 25 calories on the rower, swap, then run 200m, swap, 1 round of grace, swap, ect.

    Also turned out to be a hell of a lot of fun

    Did you do that 100 back squats/100 dead lifts/100 bench press WOD last week?

    no, that sounds brutal. could be fun to do with a team though.
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
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    jesspen91 wrote: »
    It depends for me. I hate team sports, they;re off the table. The gym is me time and I like it best when there are less people in the gym but I've done the odd group class and have enjoyed the social aspect. Running, I push myself much harder when running with others. My fist Parkrun I knocked over 5 minutes off my 5K pb.

    ditto. weight training = go away. Running: Almost all of my 5K and 5 mile PRs have been group runs. I don't push myself nearly as much when I'm alone.
  • cbohling1987
    cbohling1987 Posts: 99 Member
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    jdlobb wrote: »

    Did you do that 100 back squats/100 dead lifts/100 bench press WOD last week?

    no, that sounds brutal. could be fun to do with a team though.[/quote]

    Yeah we're a week behind the Comptrain schedule so we're doing it tonight. I am NOT looking forward to it. Especially the bench presses where I am weak af.

  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
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    Just the thought of working out in a group is wearying. The chit-chat. Having to coordinate schedules. Having to agree on a workout. Ugh.

    I use a small corporate gym we have, and it's almost always empty when I'm there. Just how I likes it.
  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
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    I think it's good to try various things and see what works best for you.

    When I was losing weight I took a small group fitness "Body Pump" type class and it was awesome. The instructor was great and challenging and I met some amazing people there who are still my fitness friends today. They watched me literately transform and I'm glad I did that.

    About one year in it wasn't enough for me. I wanted heavier weights and I wanted to do different things. So I decided to build up my home gym. Best decision ever.

    I enjoy setting my own fitness goals, planning out my own workouts and I enjoy working alone with my music.
  • calbadger
    calbadger Posts: 283 Member
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    I suppose that it depends on personal preference. It would drive me crazy to work out with others at this time of my life. I want to "listen" to my body to set the pace. If I feel I can lift heavier or run faster, I do it. Plus I get so into an endorphin haze that I probably wouldn't be much good in a group. [If I'm cruising so much that I can't remember which set (out of 3 usually) that I am on, then being alone is probably for the best.]

    That being said, when I was younger, and on athletic teams (HS: Skiing, College: Crew, Army ROTC), it probably helped to have someone watching all of us so that we didn't ease up. Now if I do that, I know that the only person I'm cheating is me.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    It's a preference thing. I don't do well at all in a group. I was on the volleyball team in school and that lasted a whole of one semester despite being good at it. Joined a group workout class when I was a teen, and didn't last for more than 2 weeks. I just don't thrive in workout/sports groups. I don't even like it when other people are around me when I workout, regardless if they're part of the group or not. It's distracting, I don't get to do whatever I want to do whenever I want to do it, I have to stick to an imposed pace or routine, I feel like I'm holding the group back/feel like I'm being held back, I have to watch out for wardrobe malfunctions and be careful not to inadvertently affect anyone's experience negatively...etc. The only "exercise" I do in a group is hiking, because to me it's more about the social aspects and scenery than the activity itself.

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