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Group cycling tops classes poll
Group cycling is officially the most popular group exercise class, according to review of the latest fitness trends by operator Fitness First.
The company has released a league table of class attendance for 2004, based on 2.5 million workouts at 150 of Fitness First’s UK clubs.
The results show group cycling to be the most popular class with 44,0495 participants, moving up two places since 2003.
Mind and body classes, which include yoga, pilates and BodyBalance, have risen dramatically in popularity with more than 100,000 more participants this year, for a total of 434,888.
BodyPump, the class involving light weights and pre-choreographed routines, dropped from second place to third with 392,004 participants, while combat classes – the most popular in 2003 – dropped to fourth place to 386,065 with 24,961 fewer participants.
The league table gives a good indication of the likely trends in group exercise for 2005, said Fitness First’s national group fitness manager, Kevin Yates.
“The popularity of our mind and body classes reflects the public’s interest in more holistic health and wellness and could well be at the top of our table in 2005,” he said.
“I believe the trend for 2005 will see group cycling and mind and body classes continue to grow in popularity along with studio classes which offer an intense physical workout incorporating elements of core and function fitness, along with boot camp-style circuits.”