Many students find themselves going to the gym as a chore, like folding the laundry. A group fitness class can be the remedy to the gym blues and help students get a kick-start for a summer-ready body.

Having a set class time helps motivate people to get to the gym and workout harder. Among the mess of papers, midterms and a social life; it is easy to push aside getting to the gym.

“For me, personally, if I have a class versus going to workout on my own, there’s already a pre-scheduled time, So, I am more likely to go to it rather than just I need to go exercise today,” said sophomore sociology major Divya Golconda.

Putting headphones in and working out alone is a great thing for having some time to get into your own head and think about how to resolve stressful situations in your life. However, it is easy to fall into the same boring routine of cardio machines and weights.

“I used to come in and hit the treadmill and lift some weights,” said Sac State alumnus Daniel Buchanan. “When you get into a pattern, your workout becomes routine. It is not as much fun and more of a damper on your day.”

A fitness instructor pushes people further in their workout and is a cheaper alternative to a personal training session. Whereas an all-access pass to any group fitness class costs $68 a semester, one personal training session is $50.

“I feel like even though it’s more in your head when you’re working out by yourself a fitness instructor can really have the power to inspire you and make you go further,” Golconda said.

Fitness classes introduce new workouts with different moves to workout parts of your body. Try an hour of turbo kickboxing or an AB Blast class. Parts of your body you did not even know existed will be sore.

“Group fitness classes help motivate you to work out longer, harder, more intensely and allows you to get creative with your workout,” said The Well’s Group Fitness Coordinator Kendra Densmore.

Exercising with a group of people can make the chore getting fit and healthy into something enjoyable. Rather than putting in headphones and running on a treadmill, the class atmosphere can introduce people to new workout moves.

“Classes push you more than what you usually do,” Buchanan said. “When others are with you, you don’t want to lag in class.”

It is easy to feel unmotivated working out by yourself when the person next to you is running twice as fast on the treadmill. Group fitness allows people to work out at their own pace while motivating each other.

The Well offers a variety of classes that would be fitting for anyone’s taste – whether one wants a calming yoga class or an intense boot camp.

“Group fitness is a lot more fun because of the variety of classes they offer here. Classes do motivate you and the instructor constantly motivates you,” Golconda said.

Getting lost in an hour of a Zumba or Hip Hop FUNdamentals class can help make losing those extra 10 pounds less tedious. Group fitness classes are a great way to have fun while getting your body in shape and can spice up ones regular routine exercise plan.

 Chanel Saidi can be reached at [email protected]