Merritt Clubs Blog

It’s a joke in my family that whenever someone asks, “How are you?”, the answer is always “I’m fine.” When I was young and would call my grandparents, they were always fine, and so were we. When my Dad was sick, and even until the day before he passed, friends, family, and doctors asked him how he was and he always said, “I’m fine.” And even now, when I’m feeling stress and anxiety (and lately there’s been a lot of that for me), people ask, “How are you?” and my answer is always (and will continue to be) “I’m fine.”

We're kicking off one of my favorite times of year – Les Mills Launch Week (I might even argue that it’s better than Christmas)!  Each quarter we receive a new release with brand new music and moves that we get to present for our members to keep our classes fresh.  What makes it more exciting is that we get to team teach and work with some of our other fabulous Merritt instructors who we don’t get to see on a regular basis and who can spice up the experience and bring a little extra energy for our members.

Think group exercise classes are just loud music, fast movements, and mob-mentality? Think again. Group fitness offers social opportunities, mental health benefits, and psychological support. Safe and effective workouts in a fun and social environment, consistent scheduling, instructor motivation, education, and accountability are just some of the benefits of group exercise. Better yet, most group workouts require no prior exercise knowledge or experience.

BODYCOMBAT timeeeeeeeee! Ok guys, I think I found my favorite class because this one is AWESOME! Maybe it’s just my personality that made me enjoy this class, because the idea that I am spending an hour beating up an imaginary person really appeals to me.

Holy dance moves Batman!

Okay, so maybe BODYATTACK isn’t really dancing, at least presumably not compared to Zumba or BODYJAM. But it is still a very fast-paced choreographed routine that I was not great at. And when I say not great, I mean everyone in the class was basically a professional and I just tried not to break my face.

Has the idea of joining a group fitness class seem daunting to you? Well, there are plenty of reasons to overcome that fear. This post will discuss the top three benefits of joining a group exercise class.

Are you tired of doing the same old routine every time you go to the gym?  For example, for 30 minutes you do cardio on Mondays and Fridays and maybe lift weights every Tuesday and Thursday.  To spice up your workout routine, try group fitness classes. 

Whenever someone takes a class for the first time, it can be a little intimidating or overwhelming. When you arrive for your first group fitness class, you do not know how to start or what equipment you should use. A group fitness class should be fun and energizing. The class should also give you a relief from everyday stress, not give you a headache.

Here are some tips to help you handle the first class:

Meet Your Instructor

Introduce yourself to your group fitness instructor. Let your instructor know you are participating in your first class. Your instructor may recognize that you are new to the class, and he or she will be able to help you with the first steps. Your instructor can get you accustomed to the equipment, and give you helpful advice on what to expect.

Meet Other People

Introduce yourself to anyone standing near you. Most people who participate in group fitness classes are sociable people. When you are running on a treadmill surrounded by people who are pushing you and motivating you to succeed, it can be an amazing experience for you. The other participants can have great information and advice on how to feel comfortable in the class. The other group participants all had a first day of class too, and they stuck with it. So can you!

Try A Few Classes

Before you decide if you like the class, try attending three or four classes first. Not every group fitness class has the same skill level and learning curve. When you go into each class, go in prepared and willing to try new things. If you are participating in a cardio class that has music, you will probably need to learn the steps before you can get down! If you are participating in a strength class, you will have to know your weight limits. Give yourself time to learn everything you need to know before you make a decision.

These tips can help you gain the confidence to participate in a group fitness class. One day you may be able to help a new participant in his or her first group fitness class.

Contact us for more information about group fitness.

Although heart monitors will keep you apprised of your level of fitness, they may not necessarily help with your performance. Training with a power meter, however, tells you exactly how much work you are putting into your cycling. It measures this work in terms of watts and spits out a number representing watts per hour. Competitive cyclists such as Miguel Indurain, winner of the Tour de France, average about 500 watts per hour in a controlled lab setting whereas the average gym rat clocks in at about 280 to 310 watts per hour. With these numbers in mind, it’s possible to use power meters to slowly increase the amount of power you’re using, even if you’re training indoors in a health club. Here are a few tips to incorporate power readings into your training:

1. Improve Your Performance by Comparing Your Readings with Others: If you have a friend who cycles faster than you, you can find out his/her power output to figure out exactly how much more power you’ll need to put into your workout to get the same results. Heart rate won’t give you the answers you’re looking for because two people can have the same heart rate and still average totally different speeds.

2. Use Power for Interval Training: Most coaches recommend interval training to improve overall performance. You can use your power meter to figure out what your usual power output is and then increase the power you use in intervals to improve overall performance. A few bursts of power in the course of a workout can lead to long-term results.

3. Use Power to Maintain Your Pace: If you’re participating in a race, you need to keep your power output as consistent as possible. Some people start out fresh and use up a lot of power in the beginning but don’t have enough left for the middle or the end. Others, who are trying to pace themselves, start out too slow. A power meter takes the guesswork out of things and makes sure you keep going at an even pace.

4. Keep Track: If you train regularly, your performance is going to improve. It can be a real boost to look back at your average power output six months or a year ago and compare it to your power output today. Plus, keeping track can help you figure out what your weak points are. When exactly do you stop working as hard, in a race or in a health club? Once you know this, you can tailor your training to address this issue.

Power meters may seem like yet another gadget that you don’t want to deal with, but training with power is simpler than you imagine and can help you to reach your cycling goals. Contact us for more information about training with power and watch your performance improve.