Awful exercise classes.

[RoyKentsTieDyeTop]

I’ve only just started getting into fitness and yoga after quitting alcohol and smoking (and caffeine and meat, I tend to go all in).

I’ve joined a small yoga studio which I LOVE but I can only do twice a week. I’ve also joined the local gym which offers unlimited classes.

But so far the classes have been, well, shit. I’ve only done Pilates and Bodybalance so far and was hoping to work my way up to something more high impact but I’m just so uninspired.

The groups aren’t huge (although they could be, there are always 30 odd spaces available when I book and there are never more than half that there). But there’s zero interaction from the instructor during the workout and half the time I have no idea if I’m in the right position. No one chats before or after the class, people turn up at one minute to and wordlessly unroll their mats, and then get up and leave afterwards.

I’ve had four different instructors over eight classes and I only feel motivated by one of them (but then didn’t like the content of the class). The others were varying degrees of awful in different ways, topped off by yesterday’s who was a frail elderly woman with a busted hip who could only mode the arm movements and just narrated most of it while standing or sitting.

Am I just using a shitty gym or is this standard? It’s the main gym in town, should I look for a smaller private gym and suck up the cost or is this just what group exercise is like?

Hmmm. I've only gone to two different pilates classes and both times the instructor demonstrated and did the movements with us, and walked around to help or correct someone if needed.
A few regulars might have a little chat while waiting for everyone , snd the instructions were also friendly and chatty before class started. Then they'd ask if anyone had any particular problems (painful back or whatever) and then down to business.
Afterwards again a little chat as everyone gathered their things, but then people just went their way.
It's important to feel safe (that you are not going to injure yourself) and calm - breathing correctly and feeling connected to your body is important. It's a shame these you haven't experienced this! You might take your concerns about not knowing if you are doing the exercises properly to the teacher after class?

Gym exercise classes to tend to be like this tbh, they’re pretty impersonal. I’ve found more community based classes (like yoga in the local church hall) tend to be a bit friendlier

I really don't want to chat to other people at an exercise class. Im polite and smile and friendly, but prefer not to have too much interaction. But that's me.
Instructors always give guidance though - it sounds like you've been a bit unlucky there

Pilates and Body Balance, and indeed yoga, aren't chatty classes IME. People work on their own and often come for the relaxation element. Friends who do group exercises like boot camp, or more partnered exercise like martial arts, find them quite sociable. Realise you're working up to classes like that, but I would guess it's part of the issue.

How good the teacher is, is a separate issue. I haven’t necessarily found more expensive gyms have better teachers, and my preferred pilates teacher at my gym also runs classes in a church hall. I think it's mostly a case of finding a teacher you gel with. Styles can be very different.

put something out on your local town Facebook page asking for details of friendly fitness classes and gyms. It took me a while to get to know my Pilates class, however circuits and indoor bike were chatty from the start.

Omg the classes at my leisure centre are something else. So we're all hyped up doing our zumba- great tunes, really going for it- then the track finishes and we all stand in silence. The instructor stands there looking at us in silence. Then the next track starts and off we go again! It's so weird! No "well done ladies" or even a "whoop whoop".

I go to a huge gym and the classes aren’t like that. Quality instructors with excellent input. I’m 8 months pregnant so I do get a level of extra input at the moment, especially in the cardio/weights classes (I think they’re all worried I’m going to blow at any moment) but I’ve been going for a long time, as have lots of people in the classes (a good sign) so we’ve bonded.

Find a better gym. You won’t bother to do it if you don’t enjoy it.

Not Yoga, but I stopped doing aerobics style classes for opposite reasons.

The class was always 10 minutes late starting because of all the 'Did you watch Strictly last night?' inspired chat, instigated by the Instructer as she was setting up.

She also played dubstep throughout.
Never changed the playlist either 🤨

I go to a "functional fitness" type gym where the classes are AMAZING. Nothing like body pump, or set to music but proper instructors who know what they're doing. Like a boutique gym with classes called "Strength", "METCON" etc. a bit like CrossFit but without the cult and they cater to beginners (me 8 years ago) and experts. I've just moved town and joined a new one but they crop up everywhere. Usually they only do classes rather than also having a gym. However you are talking more boutique prices (£150 a month in London) so I realise it's not for everyone. Mines also very social - drinks, summer party, coffees after class.

Thanks all. Functional fitness sounds amazing but there isn’t one I can get to.

I think for now I’ll stick to the lovely yoga studio and daily yoga at home (even Adriene gives me more guidance than the Bodybalance instructors so far…) and maybe work my way up to a HIIT class when I feel a bit stronger and see if that’s more my scene.

I've found this to be the difference between large chain gyms and smaller studio or community based classes too. For many years I did yoga and/or pilates in community groups which tended to be groups of 8-12, you paid for a block of sessions so it tended to be the same people every week and more personal, more time for a chat while putting the equipment away, but due to timings I never managed to go to more than one class a week. I also see on my SM that the local
outdoor bootcamps, zumba classes etc seem to have a very sociable element.

I joined the big local sports centre last year which has dozens of classes that you book week by week and they are far less personal but I do find that the instructors are pretty good and are paying more attention to what you are doing than you might think you are, they often make extra suggestions that you know are probably because one person is in poor alignment bit without singling them out. The big plus is being able to try lots of different classes and go anytime that suits your week.

I'd have to keep going for the entertainment value
That so funny

I go to a clubbercise class and it's very sociable. It's held in a school hall she hires out. It's completely different to the gym clssses I went to before