fit group 2Everything is better with friends, whether it be just hanging out, eating dinner, drinking, or even working out. Or is it?  Just as we have different learning styles, we also have different working out styles. Recently I was having dinner with friends and we started talking about group fitness classes. I agreed with one of my friends that group fitness classes are not really our milieu. On the other hand, one of my other friends stated that she  enjoyed working out in the group setting in order to keep her accountable and to push harder throughout her workout. Because of this, I decided to make a pros and cons list for working out in a group vs. individually.

PRO:

You always have someone to hold you accountable for when you are being a big lazy baby and slacking off. (Hey, friends are supposed to be honest, right?)

CON:

You always have someone to hold you accountable for when you are being a big lazy baby and slacking off. (Hey “friend,” stop judging me and acting like this is a competition. If I wanted your opinion about if I should be trying harder I would have asked, and yes, it is normal for me to be this out of breath, jerk.)

PRO:

There is usually an instructor there to help you to make sure you are performing the exercises correctly to prevent injury and to make sure you are getting the most out of your session.

CON:

There is usually an instructor there to help you to make sure you are performing the exercises right to prevent injury and to make sure you are getting the most out of your session. (Umm, hello, the last thing I need while trying to not fall over dead is some hot sweaty guy telling me I’m sticking my butt out too far. And don’t tell me I can do one more rep, it’s just not going to happen. I know I suck, you’ve made that clear, quit yelling at me.)Instructor Taking Exercise Class At Gym

PRO:

There are people of all fitness levels, shapes, and sizes, so there’s no need to compare yourself or to feel self-conscious.

CON:

Someone who recently lost a lot of weight might show off or tell you their fitness journey story, making you feel inspired and motivated until they ask if you agree that all of their post weight loss excess skin is gross (this really happened to a friend, yes, really).

If only there was a program that let you work out with friends (that you actually like) and provided coaching in a way that is always motivating but never pushy, then those skeptics of group fitness may change their minds.

fit group 4Lucky for those cynical individuals, Denver has just the program you’re looking for, guaranteed to change your attitude about group fitness. Mercuria Running, a Denver based running company provides endless options for both groups and individuals who want to figure out fit in a fun yet challenging way. Mercuria Running is more than just a running club. They provide group training and personal coaching for both runners and walkers of all different fitness levels and ages.

Coaches Jenni Nettik and Sylvia DeLay develop client-centered plans personalized to each individual’s goals and abilities and offer supportive and motivational feedback each week. Check out their Facebook page and you’ll be motivated just by looking at the pictures of Mercuria Running members taking advantage of the stellar Colorado landscape. Side note: everyone looks insanely happy in all of their pictures, so they must be doing something right. I suspect they have all OD’ed on endorphins and mountain air.

One of the membership options with Mercuria Running is the the “Get Fit with Friends” plan for 2-4 people. This plan allows individuals to form a group in order to get fit with friends, as the name suggests, or to prepare for events such as races or weddings. Once you’ve formed a group of friends who you won’t feel like pushing off of a mountain after a run, you will be able to obtain benefits such as a coaching team, initial fitness evaluation, meeting to set goals, training plan, access to Mercuria Running’s website and training tips, interactive fitness journal with weekly coaching feedback, coaching led team workouts weekly, and two coach-supervised workouts per week.fit group 3

Coaches Nettik and DeLay are dedicated runners and have developed Mercuria Running to share their passion and to help others find a rewarding way to increase quality of life and health. Afraid of not being able to fit Mercuria into your busy schedule? Shannon Merriman, member of the Mercuria Running “Get Wedding Ready” program states, “Being a student and planning a wedding keeps me really busy. The Mercuria Running coaches have worked with my busy schedule and made it easy to be motivated.”

With the positive energy and encouragement provided by the coaches and individualized plans at Mercuria Running, it would be hard not to be in favor of group fitness, and if you’re still not convinced, they have great individual plans offering all the motivation and guidance as the group plans.

Visit Mercuria Running’s website at http://www.mercuriarunning.com/ for more information on joining in on the fun.