When making the decision to get fit and healthy there are many different approaches to choose from; whether it be using a personal trainer, joining the local gym or attending group fitness classes. With so many different choices it can be difficult to know which is the best option for you.
Below, we look in detail at two of the most popular forms of exercise; gym workouts and group workouts. Discover the benefits of each type of workout and decide which is the best approach for helping you to achieve your goals.
At Bluecoat Sports we’re proud to have a fully equipped gym in Horsham and to offer over 50 free of charge exercise classes a week for members to enjoy. Take a look at our membership options and start your fitness journey today.
The benefits of working out in the gym
Access to high quality gym equipment
One of the main benefits of becoming a member of a gym is access to the vast array of amenities. Gyms feature a range of exercise equipment and workout machines that you wouldn’t usually have access to at home or in other environments.
This means gym members are easily able to achieve their health and fitness goals, workout different muscle groups, lose weight and improve their strength training all in one place.
Your gym plan is tailored to your individual goals
Going to the gym means you’re working out the exact areas that will help you reach your personal goals. Whether you’ve done the research yourself or used a personal trainer to create a tailored plan that helps you, using fitness machines and free weights allows you to focus on and target specific areas of your body.
Whether you’re looking for a weight loss program or a strength training program, speaking to a fitness instructor about your fitness goals will provide you with a realistic, safe and targeted plan that will focus on the areas that matter to you.
As a Bluecoat Sports member you also receive a comprehensive induction and customised programme designed for you by one of our qualified fitness instructors. Our 3-step Member Journey – Induction, Customised Programme and Programme Review – ensures you are knowledgeable using the equipment and that you make progress to achieve your goals.
We also have fully qualified personal trainers on hand to help you with your personal goals and provide expert advice and exercise tips. Find out more about our personal training team.
You can progress at your own speed
As gym goers tend to do solo workouts you can really progress at your own speed. This means you can up the weights on certain machines at your own pace, take each workout in your own time and focus on ensuring that you’re doing each exercise correctly and with the proper form.
It’s easy to track your progress
The best way to see how you’re getting on with achieving your fitness goals is by tracking your progress. Gym members are able to easily track their progress through the amount of reps they’re doing, how heavy the weight is they’re using or through the amount of time they’ve spent exercising.
Using apps like the ‘BCS App’ and ‘Engage 360’ makes progress tracking that much easier; you’re easily able to input your progress and look back on how far you’ve come since you became a gym member.
Find out more about our gym membership options
The benefits of group exercise
Motivation to work harder
When you’re attending group classes you’re working out alongside other gym goers which gives you motivation and pushes you to work harder. This motivation can help you to achieve results quicker and feel the progress from the different exercises you’re doing.
The added benefit of the group setting is that it gives you motivation to keep up with everyone else in the class and stay in time with the exercises and workouts.
Group classes are varied and fun
Group exercise classes come in all shapes and sizes and there’s something to appeal to everyone, with options such as cardio classes, strength classes, aqua aerobics and mind and body classes. Usually done alongside music, the group exercise classes have an element of fun and light-heartedness which makes exercising not feel like such a chore.
The classes themselves change regularly, so you’re doing a different routine which makes the group fitness class more fun and varied.
There’s a community feel to group exercise
If you’re regularly attending the same group exercise class there’s a high chance you’ll see some of the same familiar faces around. This creates a lovely community feel and you can start to make friends that you’ll see every week.
The group setting is great for motivating you even more, as there are other people in the class who want you to see you succeed.
Guidance from a group exercise instructor
Every group activity class will be led by a fully qualified group exercise instructor. They can help ensure you’re doing each exercise correctly and help keep you motivated throughout the class. This gives you peace of mind that you’re working out in a safe environment and that all the exercises you’re doing are helping towards your personal goals.
Which approach is right for you?
There is no right or wrong approach when it comes to working out, it’s all about doing what’s best for your goals and what you’re most comfortable with. However, it’s good to keep things varied otherwise you can end up getting bored and demotivated if you’re continuously doing the same thing over and over again.
A mixture of both group exercise classes and gym workouts will give you the best of both worlds. You’ll enjoy a fun, community feel alongside targeted workouts that will help you to stay fit and reach your goals as quickly as possible.
Join Bluecoat Sports today
We’re proud to offer state of the art facilities for all gym members at our local gym in Horsham. This includes:
- A fully equipped gym
- Over 50 group exercise classes per week
- Personal training
- 25m swimming pool
- A range of different memberships
Take a look at our different membership options, starting from £24.99 per month, and get in touch with any questions about our gym in Horsham.
