They may share common fitness goals to gain strength, lose weight or stay flexible. Perhaps they want to learn to play pickleball or train for a half-marathon. Maybe they need someone to encourage them, keep them accountable, or to commiserate with during 5 a.m. workouts.
Whatever the reasons, many adults are seeking group exercise classes, training programs and recreational sports at gyms and workout centers, say area fitness professionals. The upshots, they agree, increase chances people stick with exercising, have more fun and develop long-lasting friendships.
Popular sports — including pickleball, volleyball, indoor soccer and basketball — classes in yoga, Pilates, Zumba and functional fitness, and group training programs, are attracting adults from their 20s to 80s.
And people are more likely to continue exercising when they feel a sense of belonging with a community, said Chelsy Winters, executive director of Healthy Living Initiatives for the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis.
“Being part of a group, you are more accountable. It is more fun and it provides that support from others,” Winters said. “Social connectiveness, fitness and wellness go hand in hand.”
Connecting people who become members with a small class or program is key to them reaching their initial fitness goals, such as losing weight, said Tyler Shorter, director of sports for the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis. But they also may notice a pickleball game or walking group and connect with other people they don’t know, he added.
Parents who bring children to swim lessons or preschool get to know each other, as do people who play pick-up basketball or participate in running events, Shorter said. When he previously opened the Y at 5 a.m., he’d see many members who didn’t speak much, but they’d make eye contact, or some would briefly commiserate with each other.
“We love to intentionally connect our members, but a lot of times it happens organically,” Winters said. “We hear all the time about people who made friends at the Y and see those people outside of the Y.”
At the JCC Indianapolis, 6701 Hoover Road, people are participating in group activities at pre-COVID-19 levels, said Cathleen Hamilton, director of fitness and recreation. Silver Sneakers classes, total body box-jump classes, Zumba and aquatics classes are among popular classes now, she said.
“Folks are looking for those who have similar interests and ability levels,” she said. “Sometimes, they’re looking for friends and different things to try.”
That goes for Bruce and Candace Walker, JCC members for 40-plus years. They take classes once or twice a day. “We like the interaction and socialization with others,” said Candace Walker, a 71-year-old attorney. “I feel better having a professional guide the class and tweak my technique, too.”
The Indianapolis couple take Pilates and yoga classes and sometimes join the mini-trampoline class and high-intensity interval training class. Bruce also takes taekwondo and hapkido instruction, and she participates in a hip-hop step class.
Bruce Walker, 72, a retired attorney, said the two did classes on Zoom during the pandemic, but it wasn’t the same. He prefers an in-person group setting, where he can interact with instructors and class members to see their techniques. “You can really get to know and like people here,” he said.
In downtown Indianapolis, the National Institute for Fitness and Sport experienced its two highest registration numbers for its Mini-Marathon & 5K Training Program and Go Girl Triathlon Training Program for Women this year.
“We’ve seen programs growing, coming out of COVID,” said Tim Howard, the institute’s programs coordinator. “It helps having that physical connection with others you’re training with. You are struggling and competing together. You’re going to establish a community.”
Group participants gain a level of confidence, Howard said, because they see what others are doing and realize they can achieve that. While most people at the institute are probably working out solo, Howard said, they often talk with others and enjoy the atmosphere.
Exercise science research supports the benefits of group fitness activities.
Kerri Winters-Stone, a fellow with the American College of Sports Medicine in Indianapolis, said her two large clinical trials have shown the importance of social support provided in training groups to improve exercise adherence. That group bonding was even stronger with people who had cancer, said Winters-Stone, a professor at the Oregon Health & Science University in Portland.
“I think these are common themes that reach across all elements of group fitness,” she said. “There is something about being in a room with other people. You kind of feed off the energy of other people. I think it can bring a greater sense of enjoyment.”
Barb Berggoetz is a contributor for Mirror Indy. Contact her at barbberg@bluemarble.net.
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