Group fitness classes???

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erinl84
erinl84 Posts: 90 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I finally got a gym membership at several gyms and was wondering what everyone's thoughts were on which group classes are most productive. I have ten to fifteen more lbs to lose. And really enjoy doing classes because they keep me going. Lately I've been doing Jillian Michaels at home. Any thoughts or opinions are appreciated!!!!
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Replies

  • ragenhay1
    ragenhay1 Posts: 158 Member
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    I go to gold's gym andlove the group classes there. I've lost over 20lbs so far.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    whatever one you enjoy. i'm assuming by productive you're talking about burning calories? if that is the case, your burn is attributable to your effort and the duration of the workout, not a specific class. you can half *kitten* any workout and it won't be as productive as if you went all out.
  • tristen_leigh
    tristen_leigh Posts: 214 Member
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    Every gym offers different classes. I like HIIT classes and cycling. Read the descriptions and try different things! Group classes definitely keep things new and different for me which keeps me motivated!
  • erinl84
    erinl84 Posts: 90 Member
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    I love doing step even though I don't know all the moves so I'm guessing for now I'm not burning as much calories as everyone else. I'm thinking my body probably needs more weight training though since I'm not big anymore and just need a lot of tightening and toning. I am just not good at the whole weights thing.
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
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    It's all about personal preference. I am not very coordinated and I'm terrible at choreography, so I hate the dance or step classes where everyone needs to follow along in complicated movements ('cause I'm always out of sync with everyone and it's really embarrassing). I tend to enjoy the ones like yoga or pilates that are more breathing and slow movement based. I also enjoy a spinning class from time to time in the winter, so my cycling muscles don't get rusty.

    If your gym is anything like mine, a lot of the classes will vary wildly in terms of their efficacy for workouts. The "toning" classes at my gym tend to use tiny little baby weights, pandering to the (false) idea that lifting heavy will make women get bulky. The free weights area tends to be 90% male, and the class participants are 90% female, a trend that drives me batty but what can ya do?
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
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    The ones you'll enjoy so that you continue to go to them. Do they have any weight lifting classes?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    as classes go, i like spin
  • brb2008
    brb2008 Posts: 406 Member
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    I always enjoyed spin class and Zumba. Both were activities I didn't quite keep up the tempo on my own with, I had a tendency to go slow without an instructor on the bikes and with dance at home I just didn't get into it. Zumba with a group is like being at a dance club with 80 friends you didn't know you had. Spin was about pushing haaaaaard because that's what my skinny instructor did! I had the best legs of my life after 5 weeks of spin 2x a week.

    Damn I want my gym membership back. I REALLY want to get back down a little more in weight first. I know it's silly to lose weight to go to the gym, but the people know me at my gym.... They wouldn't recognize me right now :(
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
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    I would think the one you enjoy the most is the best.

    Burn 200 calories 3 days a week for 6 months in a class you enjoy has got to be better than burning 500 in a class you drop out of after 2 weeks because you hate it.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    Do whichever one that you enjoy and that will keep you motivated.
  • brb2008
    brb2008 Posts: 406 Member
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    segacs wrote: »
    It's all about personal preference. I am not very coordinated and I'm terrible at choreography, so I hate the dance or step classes where everyone needs to follow along in complicated movements ('cause I'm always out of sync with everyone and it's really embarrassing). I tend to enjoy the ones like yoga or pilates that are more breathing and slow movement based. I also enjoy a spinning class from time to time in the winter, so my cycling muscles don't get rusty.

    If your gym is anything like mine, a lot of the classes will vary wildly in terms of their efficacy for workouts. The "toning" classes at my gym tend to use tiny little baby weights, pandering to the (false) idea that lifting heavy will make women get bulky. The free weights area tends to be 90% male, and the class participants are 90% female, a trend that drives me batty but what can ya do?

    Pilates is a good class too, but I found my gyms pilates instruction was so very slow and not challenging. So for me that class was a snore, because she wasn't giving more challenging options for those of us who did pilates on the regular.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    Boot camp is my favorite class by far. I've tried others but never go consistently, except to boot camp. I also belong to a kickboxing gym that I absolutely love.
  • EnviDreams
    EnviDreams Posts: 12 Member
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    I am a fitness instructor and I teach Les Mills. You have to try Bodycombat or Bodyattack or Bodypump if your gym offers it!! It's the best ever & so much fun!
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    TRX and circuit training. A friend in another town has kettlebell classes!
  • minniestar55
    minniestar55 Posts: 346 Member
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    At the gym, I consistently go to step/power step classes; I've been doing step since the '80s & enjoy it, get a heck of a good sweat on. That's normally 3 or 4 times a week. I also go to an independent bootcamp style class 3x per week,it's a mix of HIT, tabata kind of stuff. I used to do kettlercise classes but gym stopped offering them so I do the DVD @ hone sometimes.
    I agree, the best classes to go to are ones you enjoy so you keep @ it!
  • mylittlerainbow
    mylittlerainbow Posts: 822 Member
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    A lot of people do spinning or various water classes. I do the ones I like - four classes a week, all related to Pilates and/or core-building. I can use the machines on my own, walk everywhere (including to & from the gym), and feel like I'm balancing my activities that way. I just choose what I enjoy most, work hard, and keep on going because they're the ones I like! Pilates being mostly isometric means you don't burn as many calories as in other classes, but I have decided I don't care!
  • Rachel0778
    Rachel0778 Posts: 1,701 Member
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    What kind of classes does your gym offer? If you like the Jillian Michael's style of workout the Les Mills GRIT class, any bootcamp style class, or HIIT class may be up your alley.

    I second the recommendation for bodypump! It's a great way to get into weightlifting.

    For me, group workouts are great because then someone else creates the workouts and is there to push me out of my comfort zone, all I have to do is show up ready to workout. Other people, like my significant other, hate working out around other people and enjoy going solo since it helps him decompress after a long work day. To each his own.
  • Slashnl
    Slashnl Posts: 338 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    whatever one you enjoy. i'm assuming by productive you're talking about burning calories? if that is the case, your burn is attributable to your effort and the duration of the workout, not a specific class. you can half *kitten* any workout and it won't be as productive as if you went all out.

    I agree with this! I just suggest that you keep trying to improve. I love Body Pump, and I keep trying to increase my weights so that it is challenging. Same with Spin classes - love them - and I keep trying to increase the resistance so that it keeps up the effort. Listen to the instructors and they will help you improve.
  • annie_37
    annie_37 Posts: 17 Member
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    I highly recommend Les Mills Body Pump. It kicks my butt every time.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,952 Member
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    segacs wrote: »
    It's all about personal preference. I am not very coordinated and I'm terrible at choreography, so I hate the dance or step classes where everyone needs to follow along in complicated movements ('cause I'm always out of sync with everyone and it's really embarrassing). I tend to enjoy the ones like yoga or pilates that are more breathing and slow movement based. I also enjoy a spinning class from time to time in the winter, so my cycling muscles don't get rusty.

    If your gym is anything like mine, a lot of the classes will vary wildly in terms of their efficacy for workouts. The "toning" classes at my gym tend to use tiny little baby weights, pandering to the (false) idea that lifting heavy will make women get bulky. The free weights area tends to be 90% male, and the class participants are 90% female, a trend that drives me batty but what can ya do?

    Just jumping in to say I am a woman who does not like group classes. I do cardio at home or outside and use the gym for weight lifting.

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