30-Minute Gym Workout or 30-Minute Class… What’s More Effective?

Given the fact that not many people have an abundance of time on their hands these days, trying to balance work and family life whilst staying remotely active is not easy. That being said, we all know how important it is to keep active and it's no secret that there are huge health benefits to be gained from fitting in 30 minutes of exercise 5-7 times a week.

To name a few, exercise is known to:

Reduce stress - exercise increases the amount of norepinephrine in your body – the chemical that can moderate our brain’s response to stress and stressful situations

Boost mood - physical activity stimulates chemicals in your brain to leave you feeling happier and more relaxed

Improve memory & mental agility - Exercise increases the production of cells in hippocampus responsible for memory and learning

Increase productivity - Research shows that workers who take time away from their desk to get moving are more productive than their sedentary co-workers

Improve heart health - in turn reducing the risks of diseases such as strokes, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, diabetes 

Improve self confidence

 As you can see the benefits go way beyond just losing or maintaining a healthy weight!

 Now that we know the benefits, knowing what kind of physical activity to do is the next thing. Most of us have limited time in the gym so it's important to know what will get the most effective results in what timeframe.

So, what's 'better'? A 30-minute session in the gym or a 30-minute class?

Benefits of 30 minutes in the gym

If you are someone who is familiar with a gym environment, perhaps through past PT sessions or avid YouTubing to plan your gym sessions, then I imagine you are the kind of person who could walk into a gym, have a productive session and leave feeling one or more of the benefits mentioned earlier.

It's important to have a balanced fitness regime that encompasses both cardio and resistance.

During a 30-minute cardio workout the average person will burn 300 calories and also experience the benefits of stress relief, self confidence and boosted state of mood.

During a 30-minute resistance focused session you can expect increased muscle mass & muscular endurance. You may not burn as many calories as during 30 mins of cardio - however increased muscle growth means more calories burned at rest.

So, if you are someone who knows what they're doing then a 30-minute gym session will undoubtedly ensure results both physically and mentally.

Benefits of a 30-minute class

If you are not someone who has time to plan your own workouts.

If you haven't had PT sessions in the past and retained the information, or if you haven't been much of a gym goer…

If you find yourself dashing to the gym in between your other commitments and arrive feeling a bit lost then you could find yourself spending 10 minutes thinking about what to do, only to get to a machine to find that someone else is on it. Then not knowing what else to do, finally figuring it out and then realising that you have somewhere else to be in 10 minutes…

Why not let a trained fitness professional plan your workout for you?!

Classes are a really effective way to get a positive gym experience on a relatively low budget and in a short space of time. Not only are you guaranteed to get a well-organised, structured workout, given the range of classes available you can pick and choose things you know you like and try new things too.

Other benefits of group fitness sessions are:

Increased motivation levels - it's inspiring and motivating to be surrounded by dedicated, like-minded individuals.

It's the fitness instructor's job to show proper form and to also make sure that everyone in the class is executing each exercise the right way. Not only is proper form important for your muscles to get the most out of every exercise, but it also helps eliminate potential injuries

So it really comes down to how much knowledge you have around gym-based fitness, what your fitness preferences are and what your fitness goals are. That being said even if you do know your way around a gym, mixing it up and trying new things is extremely beneficial to mental, physical and overall fitness.

At KCF we have put together a varied timetable of classes for males and females of all ages, abilities and interests. Class sizes are usually up to 8-10 people in each session which ensures you get individual support and expert guidance.

Here's our class timetable: https://www.katecampbellfitness.com/classes

You can even try a class for FREE by following this link: https://www.katecampbellfitness.com/free-trial

And you also don’t need to be a member to book future classes.

So why not commit to giving one of our classes a try this month?! You've got nothing to lose…