The benefits of group fitness: working out together
Turn over a new leaf this season and energize your routine with group fitness!
Group fitness offers more than just physical health benefits. It also fosters a supportive and motivating environment that keeps participants engaged and committed to their goals. The sense of camaraderie in a group setting inspires individuals to push themselves further than they might on their own.
Beyond the benefits of fitness, the shared experience creates a sense of community, transforming exercise routine task into an enjoyable, social activity.
“Before participating in The Whole U group fitness classes, I was always working out separately. Group classes changed the way I worked out. In-person classes allow me the chance to meet and catch up with people who don’t work in your department who all have common fitness goals. The virtual group fitness’s classes The Whole U started during the COVID pandemic kept me on track. I still regularly attend Lauren’s morning weightlifting classes.”
– Chris Pennington, The Whole U fitness class participant
Group fitness provides the benefit of structure. Most group fitness classes are led by trained instructors who guide participants through a well-rounded workout, ensuring proper form and pacing. This structured approach allows individuals to focus on their workout without worrying about creating their own exercise plan. It also introduces participants to a variety of exercises, from strength training to cardio and flexibility, which helps promote overall physical wellness and reduces the risk of injury
“Group Fitness classes provide people with an easier entry to the gym. The instructor will provide the format and modifications for you. All you need to do is show up and do your best! It takes away a lot of the guess work that comes with starting out your own workout program.”
– Jeff Palmer, senior fitness & wellness manager at UW Recreation
Get moving together with The Whole U!
The Whole U offers a variety of in-person and virtual group fitness opportunities for the UW community:
Form and Interval Run/Walk Clinic
Tuesday, Oct. 15, 5:15 – 6 p.m. at Rainier Vista
Virtual Weight Training Classes with Lauren Updyke
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 6:15 – 6:5 a.m. & 7:15 – 7:45 a.m.
Virtual Daily 15 minute Movement Break
Monday – Friday, 11 – 11:15 p.m.
Virtual Dance Fitness Class with Dalya Perez
Tuesdays & Thursdays, Noon – 1 p.m.
Virtual Zumba with Karen Cornelio
Saturdays, 10 – 11 a.m.
Virtual Zumba with Karen Cornelio
Tuesdays, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Save with The Whole U’s fitness partners
The Whole U has an amazing network of fitness partners that offer great discounts on group fitness and wellness classes to UW faculty, staff and retirees. Whatever gets you going — high-intensity interval training, yoga, meditation, martial arts, bootcamp, boxing, biking, rowing, kettle bells, dancing — you’ll find a great place to practice it with friends on this list for less.
Aditi Yoga and Massage – Heart-centered yoga classes for beginners and advanced yogis, prenatal and postnatal yoga, and massage practitioners.
Aikido at Tacoma Aikikai – Offers community-centered aikido instruction, rooted in the lineage and discipline of Japanese martial traditions.
Anytime Fitness Tacoma – A 24 hour gym in Tacoma.
Bahia in Motion – Values the importance of a healthy body, mind and spirit and the integral role the arts play in remaining balanced.
Barre 3 – Mixes athleticism, grace and the latest innovations designed to balance the body in a savvy, low impact workout.
Barry’s Bootcamp Seattle – The original high-intensity interval workout. Barry’s tones muscle and maximizes fat loss with a combination of running and weights.
Body by Impulse – An electro-stimulated workout that uses electro stimulation to achieve stronger and more intense muscle contraction than a voluntary exertion can reach alone
Center for Yoga of Seattle – Iyengar-style hatha yoga is a graceful, precision-oriented approach to yoga that seeks to develop flexibility, strength, stamina, concentration, will power, and relaxation in a balanced way.
Chinese Wushu and Thai Chi Academy – Master Hong’s teaching mission is to cultivate students’ home practice habits for maintaining a healthy body, mind and quality of life.
Commune Yoga – At Commune, we believe in the power of ritual. We believe in the magic each unique body holds. In the necessity of supportive community.
Core Power Yoga – A fitness-focused approach that blends yoga principles, strength training, heat and mindfulness to create the perfect, well-rounded workout program.
CueFit Seattle Crossfit & Bootcamp – Cue CrossFit is a gym filled with strong, humble and dedicated members who come together to help each other become better day by day.
Dance for Joy! – Partner dance instruction in waltz, swing and blues in Seattle and Around the U.S.
Expand Yoga – Yoga studio.
Fremont Health Club – A locally owned fitness facility dedicated to exceptional customer service and programming that will motivate and inspire.
Haute Yoga – We offer daily heated yoga classes taught by experienced Hot Hatha and Power Vinyasa instructors.
HIIT Lab – An interval-style strength and cardio training group fitness studio. We believe fun, sweaty, effective workouts should be available to anyone, no matter where they start their fitness journey.
Hot Yoga Inc – Infrared heat therapy studios offering a wide variety of hot yoga classes, including Barre and Pilates.
Ian Fitness – Small-group training and personal fitness training for all bodies.
Jasyoga – Yoga for UW faculty and staff every Monday and Wednesday at noon in Hec-Ed.
Jazzercise – Dance workout!
Junction Hot Yoga – Featuring expanded yoga offerings, including Power Vinyasa, Kemetic Flow, Yin Yoga, Yoga Nidra, and Sound Meditation.
Kirchoff Fitness – Bootcamp, training programs, nutritional coaching and adventure fitness travel in Seattle with Chris Kirchoff.
La Clave Cubana – Helping you beat the Seattle Freeze through friendship making, socializing & building a dance family.
Lakewood Hot Yoga – Offering the classic Hot /26 (Ghosh/Bikram lineage), Vinyasa, Yin and a Fusion class (combining Hot/26 and Vinyasa).
Magnuson Athletic Club – A full-service workout facility and gym with training, group classes and more!
Maven Yoga – Maven Yoga is a heated yoga studio in the heart of Fremont with offerings ranging from Power Flow to Slow Flow to Yin Yoga.
Momentum Indoor Climbing SODO – Create lasting friendships, learn something new and help us build our local climbing community together.
MUV Fitness – Group fitness, personal training and a full-service gym.
NW Fitness – A 24-hour access facility located on 9th and James offering a full group exercise schedule, Wifi, Showers/lockers and a private cardio theater.
Orange Theory Fitness – High-intensity group and personal training workouts.
Peaceful Training – Guided weight loss, muscle toning, strength, cardiovascular improvements, nutrition, speed and agility, running and stress reduction, with very strong emphasis on mindfulness and meditation.
Pop Rox – Welcoming every dancer — no matter your age, shape, background, race, skill level, or sexual orientation — because dance is universal and it does not discriminate.
Pranify Yoga – Our yoga classes offer intuitive movement accessible to all. Precision and grace. Levity and gravity. Harmonizing breath, movement and sensation striking a clear resonant of coming alive.
Pure Barre – A full-body workout in less than an hour, concentrating on the areas women struggle with the most: hips, thighs, seat, abdominals and arms.
Row House – A low-impact workout designed to build muscle, torch calories and strengthen your core in just 45 minutes — all on a rowing machine!
Run 2 Be Fit – A local PNW race & coaching company that promotes a wide array of fitness activities for all.
Seattle Athletic Club – Membership includes access to our saline lap pool, weight & cardio studios, basketball & squash courts and full access to our group classes.
Seattle Dance Fitness – On a mission to bring our excitement for the power of dance to everyBODY. Classes ignite your passion for fitness, dance and community, and inspire, empower and fuel you in your every day life.
Sheayoga – Daily heated yoga classes taught by experienced Hot Hatha and Power Vinyasa instructors.
SoulCycle – We ride together as a pack in candle-lit studios to the rhythm of one-of-a-kind playlists.
Spira Power Yoga – Offering virtual and in-person classes. Also offers a mindfulness and nutrition program.
Studio 45 – Offering 45-minute small group high-intensity Pilates classes.
The Dailey Method – Combining the best of Pilates, yoga and ballet barre training.
The Grinning Yogi – For seasoned practitioners or first-timers, our *lightly* heated studios are full of fun, flow and — of course — grinning.
The Noble School of Tai Chi – Group Qigong and Tai Chi training classes and weekend seminars.
The Six Seattle – A musically driven, energy filled Yoga & HIIT (high intensity interval training) experience.
The Sweat Studios – A low impact, fast paced, focused workout for abs and booty in Fremont.
TruFusion – Offering heated and unheated Yoga, Barre, Pilates, Bootcamp, Kettlebell, Battle Ropes, Boxing and TRX.
Upbeats Fitness – A destination for music-driven group fitness classes that provide an intense workout and a fun experience.
UW Recreation – IMA – Provides safe, accessible and dynamic recreation facilities and programs to engage the UW community in growth and well-being.
Virtual World – America’s first climbing gym also offers group fitness, including TRX, Zumba and Bootcamp, and children’s programming for 3 – 17 year olds.
Wild Roots Yoga – Blending yoga, wellness and nature in practice for the mind, body and spirit using movement, breath and meditation.
YMCA – Working for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.
Zum Fitness – Exceptional trainers, inspiring instructors, a broad range of classes and a unique, open space with an encouraging community with full facility access, group fitness classes, yoga, Pilates mat.