Last night I attended a group fitness class that I haven’t been to in ages.
The instructor is a great, sweet person—and she’s incredibly fit and encouraging—but sometimes I feel like her classes may not be the best fit for me.
In fact, I think I might be over group fitness.
Perhaps I’m being hyperbolic—especially since I still have a months old draft called “Reasons I Love Group Fitness” somewhere on my computer—but I left the gym kind of aggravated and deflated last night.
Maybe I was aggravated at myself, for slacking on my gym attendance since before Christmas and not pushing myself like I’ve done in the past (oh, man, there was a lot of resting and regrouping last night), but I just remember thinking, “this is stupid—I am in pain!”
Not going to lie, I’ve struggled with exercise. I’ve struggled with learning to love it but also with using it as self-inflicted punishment (and probably doing too much of it).
At one point in my life, exercise was second nature. It was as much “me” as my blue eyes and brown hair.
In college, it became something I forced myself to do because I wanted to look good in a bikini.
And then, years ago, it became something I did to beat myself up for not being good enough.
But these days, even though I sometimes struggle with motivation, I exercise because I enjoy it. Because I feel good when I’ve moved my body and gotten my heart rate up a little (or a lot).
There are still some group fitness classes I thoroughly enjoy (such as BodyPump, even though I haven’t been to a class in a while, and a new-to-me class called “Cut, Cardio and Core” with several circuits consisting of 3 minutes on weights, 2 minutes on cardio, and 1 minute on core), but maybe I’m over the drill sergeant, “no pain no gain” kind of pressure felt from some workouts.
There is a place for that kind of workout (the military and Olympic team trials are the only things coming to mind, actually), but in my life—in a place where I’m trying to live gently and simply and with my family’s health and best interest in mind—there’s only a place for being kind to my body.
Sure, many things worth having require a little discomfort, or dare I say, pain. But I have to realize that, after a child and a much more sedentary lifestyle than I used to have, I am not in the same position I used to be.
I don’t run regularly. I don’t sweat my brains out in hot yoga multiple times a week. I don’t get as much sleep as I did pre-Bazooka. And I’m struggling to get my 10,000 steps in each day (as evidenced by my brand new Fitbit Alta HR*).
Clearly I’m not the girl who could suck it up and push myself through that hour or 45 minutes. Who aimed to impress the instructors and be the shining example of how to show up to (and kick butt at) class.
And, you know what? I am ok with that because any exercise is good exercise.
Do you have a love/hate relationship with group fitness? #sweatpink Share on XSo maybe I won’t give up on group fitness after all. There is truly something special about a room full of like-minded people, filling those 4 walls with positive energy (and buckets of sweat), but I am going to begin—and finish—each class with kindness to myself and a better understanding of where my body is in that specific moment.
Some days, I may push through, and others I may need to take a breather. There’s no shame in that!
[linking up for thinking out loud]
*affiliate link
So tell me…
- Do you prefer group fitness or solo workouts?
- What do you think of the “no pain, no gain” mentality?
- Has there ever been a time you pushed yourself too hard and later regretted it?
Aww I hate that it’s the no pain, no gain mentality in that class. I would definitely not return to that. Love what you say about your body and being kind to it. That’s so important and so true. Beating yourself up isn’t going to get you anywhere except maybe injured. Wish we had BODYpump around here!
Yeah, I think I just wasn’t feeling that class – I may give it another try but not any time soon.
That’s too bad you don’t have BodyPump! I love it because you’re encouraged to push but it’s also ok to take off some weight if needed or hold back a little if you’re not quite feeling it.
I like group fitness, but rarely join. It’s not in the budget right now, but also I like being able to just pick up at home and get my workout done. I also run a lot so I often get my people fix from that. I don’t particularly care for the no pain no gain idea. That being said, I do like to push through hard workouts to see what I am capable of. Not always, but when I do it’s game on!
I wish I could do at-home workouts! I get too distracted or my little guy wants to join me (which means he’s usually climbing on top of me). Totally agree it’s great to push to challenge yourself, but never through true pain!
I have never really been a huge fan of group fitness and it’s not for lack of trying either! A lot of the time I just feel like I don’t fit in, that I’m not good enough, that sort of nonsense. If I’m working out by myself at least I’m my only competition. I have tried several times to just get over it but I think the last time at the gym was really my breaking point (someone taking the class was shouting at me that I was doing it wrong… which in principle is fine but wouldn’t the instructor have said something earlier???) I did bootcamp last summer which was slightly better, though I still had the feeling I didn’t belong. I’m much better just on my own. Sometimes I really push it and sometimes it’s just not my day and that’s ok.
I used to feel like that, too.
That’s horrible that you were called out like that – thankfully none of my instructors or other participants have been like that. I think we just need to do what feels right for us. Whether it’s solo or group!
I used to be a no pain, no gain gal and then I got old. I’m 23 but I realized that that no pain, no gain mentality really hurt me and my body and mindset around exercise. Now I’m more of a ‘a little bit of pain’, a little bit of rest kind of gal. And I’m really not a group fitness sort of a gal; I thought I was, but I think I like working out more with just one or two other people or while listening to a podcast. My mom is really fun to work out with. 🙂
“A little bit of pain, a little bit of rest.” I love that!
I honestly love solo workouts. I can do what i want and what feels good to ME. I do love yoga classes and soulcycle, but i am so content just moving the way my body wants to move.
That’s how it should always be! Move how YOU enjoy moving. I believe exercise should NEVER be a punishment.