Harnessing the Power of Group Fitness for Menopausal Wellness

Do you prefer sweating it out when you work out on your own or with good company? 

In a Stylist UK reader survey, 62% of women said they prefer to train on their own, while 38% said group work-outs were their preference. If you’re more likely to agree with the former category, we’re not here to dissuade you – but we are here to prompt curiosity about whether or not group fitness may be a vital tool yet to be discovered in your menopausal wellness journey!

Exercise is such a personal activity, with all kinds of movements and practices available to us. Finding the right kind that suits our own needs and preferences can be a long and ongoing journey. For menopausal women, exercise serves many vital purposes, helping to give them the support they need to navigate the many changes menopause brings with it. If more benefits can be packed into a single workout session, it’s a win-win. 

Here’s why it may be time for you to harness the power of group fitness for the sake of your menopausal wellness.

 

Exercising in a group can increase your motivation and accountability

One of the best reasons to take part in group fitness classes is also the most obvious: there’s nothing like a little company to increase your motivation and accountability levels. When you’re working out alone and you’re not quite ‘feeling it’, it’s all too easy to call it quits for the day. Working out in a group? It’s a little more noticeable if you start to trail behind. 

If you’re looking for a way to push yourself harder, challenge yourself in new ways, and have fun while doing it, picking up a group fitness class could be the perfect way to find out what you’re made of. 

 

Looking for holistic support for your health and wellbeing throughout menopause? At the Australian Menopause Centre, you’ll find tools, resources, and personalised treatment plans for every stage of your journey

 

Group fitness can unlock proper exercise techniques

Not sure when to bend, stretch, hold, or lunge? With trained and expert instructors leading group fitness experiences, you’re in good hands. Group fitness classes are a great way to affordably learn the correct way to perform a wide range of exercises without incurring the cost of a personal trainer. Not only does the correct form and technique reduce the risk of injury during working out, it also increases how effective your work-out efforts are. 

For those of us who need modifications in our exercises to accommodate for health or injury issues, your instructor can help you to find the best way to engage safely and sustainably. For women in the midst of menopause with issues like joint sensitivity or reduced bone density, this becomes increasingly important!

 

New friends with shared experiences

Having a community of women experiencing similar things during menopause can be transformative when it comes to how you experience this transition, and in a group fitness setting, you can meet many other women in the same life stage. 

Menopause-specific group fitness activities can help you to build new friendships through shared experiences, delivering holistic benefits well beyond the sweat outcomes in each regular, shared session.

 

Varied exercise formats

Whether you’re enjoying yoga in a group, sweating through a high-intensity interval training session, or cycling to a Beyonce-filled playlist, there’s a group fitness class for every kind of exercise. Variety can be the spice that’s necessary to keeping your exercise routine fun and engaging, rather than monotonous and repetitive. 

When we enjoy our exercise, we’re more likely to stick to it – and group fitness classes can let you try on every form until you find the kind that’s right for you. You may be surprised by just how quickly you look forward to sweating in public after a few introductory classes.

 

Done-for-you progression and variety

Are you looking to methodically progress in your exercise skills? Many group fitness programs are designed with this kind of progression at the forefront, supporting everyone from beginners to professional athletes in growing their fitness and comfort levels. During menopause, this kind of progression can be particularly beneficial, helping to consistently build cardio fitness and muscle strength in the midst of a time when physical and hormonal changes are working against them. If you’re looking for a structured approach that will move you closer to bite-sized and achievable goals, group fitness classes can be a powerful boost to your confidence, your abilities, and your fitness accomplishments – and hey, you may even have fun along the way!

 

A routine you can rely on

When it comes to menopause’s changes, interruptions from its symptoms can result in all kinds of disruptions to your regular routine. This can be off-putting and upsetting for many of us, impacting our experience of autonomy and control. 

Scheduling a regular group fitness session into your calendar is one way you can take some of that control back, giving you the benefits of an ongoing exercise routine that’s there for you week in, week out. 

 

Support for your emotional and psychological needs

Our hormones are fluctuating all throughout menopause, and as a result, our emotions can quickly follow suit. The more we can build in supportive structures that help to regulate our emotional and psychological needs, the better equipped we are for the unknowns menopause brings. 

Group fitness programs can provide a key part of your foundation, delivering a multitude of benefits to your physical, emotional and mental health with consistency throughout each stage of menopause. 

 

Conclusion

If you’ve never worked out with company, it’s time to discover the benefits of group fitness for yourself. Kill two birds with one stone by finding social and emotional support while strengthening your physical abilities through regular group fitness classes. Who knows? You may discover a new form of exercise you never knew you loved – and you’ll have menopause to thank for it.

For more support for your everyday health and wellbeing throughout each stage of menopause, get in touch with the friendly, expert team at the Australian Menopause Centre.