I’m so appreciative of our Silver members, even if we rarely speak face to face. It’s great to see so many people incorporating fitness into their routines, on their own schedules.
But there’s one thing recorded classes don’t have, which live classes do: the social connection. And that has more impact than you may think – even on Zoom!
I want everyone to be able to experience this for themselves, so I’m giving Silver members FREE access to all live classes for a month! Keep reading for details.
It’s Not Just Coaching, It’s Company
I was interested to learn that researchers have actually tested the “social connection” phenomenon. In a study published in PeerJ, older adults did the exact same tailored home exercise program, but one group did it “together” through a simple social feature on a tablet app, while the other did it alone. The socially connected group stuck with it at a much higher rate; 85 percent persistence, compared to 64 percent for those training solo. Same workout, same instructions, different result, just because it felt like company instead of homework.
That’s really the difference between a live class and a recorded one. The moves are just as good either way, but doing them alongside real people, in real time, seems to matter more than any of us give it credit for.
A Screen Still Counts
Many people believe “real” community means being in the same room, sweating next to someone. But that’s not really what the research bears out. What seems to matter is feeling like you belong somewhere, recognizing faces, being seen by your instructor and by each other. That sense of showing up with people, rather than just for a workout, is what tends to keep people coming back after willpower alone would have quit on them.
A Quiet Perk This Time of Year
As we head into fall and winter, there’s a practical side to this too. Respiratory virus season is picking up, and a crowded indoor fitness class isn’t without risk; the American CDC has documented outbreaks tied to exactly that kind of setting. A live Zoom class gives you the same sense of showing up together, the same familiar faces, without asking you to weigh that against a room full of strangers breathing hard in close quarters. You get the connection and the accountability, minus the trade-off, during the months it matters most.
Your Invitation to Try It
So here’s what I’m doing about it. Starting Tuesday September 8, every Silver member gets free access to every live class on the schedule for one full month. Nothing changes about your membership, nothing to sign up for, just pick any live class and join in. If you decide the library is still your favourite way to move, your access there isn’t going anywhere. But if even one of you discovers what I’m talking about, that little lift that comes from showing up with other people, I’ll consider it a month well spent.
However You Show Up, You’re Still Part of It
Gold or Silver, live or library, you’re all part of the same community we’ve built over the last 6 years. I hope Silver members will give the live side a try, even once – especially when it comes with this much upside. Camera on or camera off, come see what the people part feels like.
For More Information
- Far, K.M., et al. “Effects of online group exercises for older adults on physical, psychological and social wellbeing: a randomized pilot trial.” PeerJ, 2017. Link
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “COVID-19 Outbreak Among Attendees of an Exercise Facility — Chicago, Illinois” MMWR, 2021. Link
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