Technology is steadily changing how various industries, including the fitness industry, deliver their services. For instance, the health and wellness industry deliver their services through wearables, apps, and other technological devices. The result: you can track your steps, heart rate, sleeping patterns, etc., with technology.
In the same vein, the fitness industry now provides exercise classes online. As a result, you can still exercise daily, even if you’re too busy to go to the gym.
Is it a good thing, though?
Virtual exercise classes exist in different forms, including real-time, downloads, and on-demand streaming. Depending on your goal, you can choose from any of these. However, regardless of the form, these classes offer numerous benefits and drawbacks. We talk about them below.
Pros
Convenience
Time is one of the largest constraints of working out. Luckily, virtual exercise classes eliminate this by enabling you to work out whenever you want.
Consequently, you don’t have to go through the stress of transiting to the gym or studio class.
You are in Control
Attending virtual classes means your gym instructor is no longer in charge of your every move. That is, you have complete control over the workout type you do. You can choose the workout you do at any time and any place, be it yoga and meditation, Zumba, cycling, or weightlifting.
Less intimidating
Going to a physical workout environment can be intimidating, especially if you see others progressing while it feels like you’re not. Virtual exercise classes provide a reprieve from these negative emotions. Since you’re not going to the gym, you won’t come across others and won’t have to contend with those feelings.
Privacy
Not everyone feels comfortable working out in front of other people. If you belong to this category, virtual fitness classes are an ideal solution as they allow you to exercise alone and without the intrusive presence of other people.
It’s Affordable
Many virtual exercise classes provide their services freely. Some platforms, however, require you to register as a member and pay for certain services, like monthly content.
However, these membership fees are usually more affordable than gym membership fees.
Cons
It can be Overwhelming
There is a vast number of virtual exercise classes on the internet, which can be overwhelming and frustrating. As a result, you might find it hard to decide on the specific virtual exercise class to attend.
Less Motivating
If you find it strenuous to self-motivate or you prefer to have external motivators around you, virtual fitness classes may not be for you.
Lacks in-Person Guidance
Only a few virtual exercise programs enable your instructor to assess your performance. As a result, there will be no one to correct you if you perform the exercises using the wrong posture.
Conclusion
Is virtual exercise a good or bad thing? The answer is: it depends. It depends on your goals and your personality. While it might be the ideal choice for some people, it might not be for you. However, having read the above, you should be able to determine whether it’s the right option for you.