Buzz
Ideally, fitness should be all about building a routine and pushing your body. But let’s face it, group fitness classes don’t always reflect that ideal. Whether you're attending pilates, Crossfit, or any other group workout session, it’s all too easy for your ego to take over.
This post was inspired by this r/Yoga thread, where the original poster expresses frustration with people who do their own thing during group yoga classes and disregard the instructions. Similarly, in r/Crossfit, there’s a frequent complaint about watching others “cheat” their workouts. I get the frustration: why should others boast impressive stats while you're following the rules and still struggling?
Here’s why it’s important to curb your judgment and focus solely on your own progress during any group fitness class.
Yes, you absolutely should tailor the practice to fit your needs
Even in a group class, you remain an individual who has the right to adjust your workout as you see fit. And let's not forget: you’ve likely paid for this experience.
In many fitness classes, the trainer encourages everyone to “make the practice their own” and listen to their bodies. Just as someone might modify their routine for an injury, you're also free to increase the intensity to ensure the workout is valuable for both your time and money.
One person might take a break during certain exercises, while another might add a few extra reps. (Can you imagine a Zumba class where everyone moves in perfect synchronization? That would be terrifying.) Still, despite my desire to focus on myself, I occasionally get frustrated—and, to be honest, a little competitive—with people who seem to attend group fitness just to “show off.”
If you plan to modify, make sure your changes are reasonable
Now that we’ve confirmed you have every right to customize your practice, let’s take a moment of introspection. Why are you really making these changes?
When you join a group fitness class, you're implicitly agreeing to a pact with the group: you all show up to motivate, hold each other accountable, and be a part of the community. Don’t be surprised if any overly individualistic behavior is seen as selfish.
If everyone else in your class is holding five breaths in triangle pose, but you decide to do ten burpees instead, it’s clear you’re disrupting the flow of the group.
However, if holding five breaths feels either too difficult or too dull for you, try substituting with something similar, such as holding a different pose for the same duration.
In more competitive environments like CrossFit, it’s common to see people ‘cheat.’ They may sacrifice form to rack up a higher rep count. This person is only cheating themselves (unless you're affecting team members or being judged in a competition). If that’s you, take a moment to reflect: Why are you prioritizing numbers over the quality of your workout? This will ultimately stunt both your physical and mental progress.
If you find modifiers distracting, try to center your focus on yourself instead.
When someone's free-styling disrupts your focus in a group setting, turn it into an extra opportunity to practice mindfulness. Adjust your position so the distraction is out of view, and let the rest of the room fade into the background as you concentrate on your breath. And when it comes to #gains... remember that judging others will never help you grow.
If it's not affecting your workout, it's usually not worth addressing. If this feeds into your judgmental tendencies, consider this: When someone cheats or shows off in their workout, the rest of the group likely notices it too.
In general, dealing with annoying people can be a good chance to practice graciousness. A Reddit user, uidactinide, who claims to be a yoga teacher, shares their perspective:
“They might be modifying due to an injury, as others have suggested. Perhaps their shoulder hurts, and they’re using a bind or twist to relieve tension. It could be that during class, they realized their hamstrings are tight, and they're focusing on loosening up before bed. They might live alone, work remotely, and see class as a chance for human interaction more than strict adherence to the instructor's guidance. Or maybe they’ve just mastered a handstand and are eager to share that achievement with those who’ll appreciate it. They may prefer strong flow classes, but due to work commitments, this is the only session they can attend.”
If someone is bothering you, it's wise to reconsider involving others or confronting them directly. The reasons behind their actions might not be fully understood by you.
The key takeaway: This is about you.
In most group fitness environments, the only person you should measure yourself against is yourself. Similarly, cheating only affects you in the long run. Your personal growth, both physically and mentally, is driven by focusing solely on your own progress.
