Group exercise is one of the most helpful ways to improve physical fitness and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Group exercise is challenging, yet fun and empowering! Of course, everyone knows that exercise is good for the body. However, studies have shown that when exercise is performed in groups, it’s not only great for improving physical health but also for psychological health. It’s an opportunity to be social, release endorphins (内啡肽), and improve your strength. Additionally, group exercise creates a community feel and the shared common goal motivates participants to work hard. The instrumental support of taking on a fitness journey with others proves more fruitful than going to the gym alone.

Another benefit of group exercise is the informational support participants receive from the instructor. Many people fear the gym because they feel lost and don’t want to embarrass themselves. If you feel you can relate, then group training is an even better choice for you. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about fitness through the clear instruction and supervision (监管) of a fitness instructor. If you’re tired of wandering around the gym wasting time and becoming bored, you can attend an upbeat group fitness class that’ll keep your workout on track. Don’t let fitness frighten you!

If you’re serious about wanting to live a healthy lifestyle, it’s extremely important to surround yourself with people who’ll provide you with the proper emotional support. I wouldn’t scold ( 训 斥 ) anyone for deciding to party on weekends and in turn I wouldn’t expect anyone to give offence to me for focusing on my health. Surround yourself with people who uplift, encourage and understand you! Make fitness even more fun by trying something new or any group fitness class, with a friend. Plan to go for a jog together. Then try a fun healthy restaurant or fresh juice bar! Fitness can be both fun and social!

Surrounding yourself with people who’ll provide you with respect and support can do a lot of good while working towards reaching health and fitness goals. First, decide to do it for yourself and work towards staying positive. Then make sure the people you surround yourself with are supportive. Don’t let negativity ruin your motivation.

The first time I realized that I had a love for sports competitions was during the Field Day in elementary school. Small for my age, and more of a bookworm than a sports lover, I had suffered that special humiliation of being picked last for various gym teams. The Field Day, which focused on individual skills, was different. In the Softball Throw event, I got my first taste of sporting victory. Credit goes to the example of my first coach, my father. He lifted weights every morning at home. He bought us all baseball gloves and hats, and in the warm months, we spent hours playing catch.

Once I got to sixth grade and switched to private school, our entire student body was assigned to either the Red or the White team. Throughout the year, we competed against each other in various games and exercises for points. I eventually became president of The Committee of Games. I also played on the field hockey team and the basketball team. And at home, playing tennis, skating, skiing and biking were simply normal things we did. During the break time, magazines were also quite popular for us teens. These regularly featured articles on physical exercise. Somehow, my college roommate and I took up the habit of completing Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) exercises every day, a practice that continued into my marriage, when we had no spare money to use to join a gym.

So, though it shocks some of our friends, that early foundation continued in adulthood into a sports and fitness focus, considered important even on vacation. I still love reading and the arts, too. As far as I’m concerned, life is the richest with my feet in both worlds.

What Are the Advantages of Team Sports?

The list of benefits from team sports is long, regardless of their talent or the team’s record. Here are just a few:

【小题1】

Obviously, fitness is a big benefit. Many studies now show that our eating habits and lifestyle habits are making us less healthy. And exercise can give us some relief from these conditions. At the same time, playing a team sport lays the foundation for lifelong fitness habits.

Life skills

Equally important are the non-athletic skills that sports build. “There is a lot you can learn in sports that you will use in the rest of your life,” explains John Duffy, a Chicago-area psychologist. “You learn to play on a team.【小题2】. And you learn to be gracious when you win and when you lose.”

Academic (学术的) success

Research shows that schools with strong athletic programs have higher test scores and lower drop-out rates. 【小题3】. And they also have self-reported higher education aspirations (抱负), diligence in homework completion and lower absenteeism.

Teamwork

In team sports, teammates learn to respect each other and encourage everyone to do their best. 【小题4】.

Additional benefits for females

【小题5】The Women’s Sports Foundation reports that girls who participate in team sports are more likely to have a positive outlook on their bodies.