If you’ve never been to a group fitness class, taking the leap and signing up for your first one can be scary! What if I can’t keep up? What if I do every move wrong and the instructor has to help me every few minutes? What if I’m not wearing the right thing?! These are common anxieties you may experience before diving into the group fitness class world. A good instructor can make you feel comfortable and at ease, and as far as looking the part—we’ve got you covered!
First things first: workout clothing doesn’t have to be boring. You can incorporate so many fun colors, (neon, anyone?) patterns, and mix and match outfits. Different styles of exercise require different styles of workout clothes, so you can go ahead and build an arsenal full of adorable workout attire.
It’s best to research the style of exercise and the specific class beforehand to find out if you need to bring or wear anything specific to class. For most fitness classes, you'll want a supportive sports bra and a pair of solid, robust sneakers. For more specific classes, we've found that in general, these styles will work:
For the most part, a group fitness dance class is high energy — think Zumba or hip hop style dance classes, like PILOXING’s The Mix. You’ll want to wear something light that you’ll feel comfortable moving around in, and prepare to sweat! We recommend dressing down a bit with breathable and loose-fitting athletic pants or sweatpants. Tight pants or shorts above the knee aren’t that common in dance classes (but not nonexistent, either!) Wear a loose fitting, light sweater over a fitted tank or cami for added layers during your warm up at the beginning of class. Hip hop shoes or tennis shoes are recommended. Hip hop classes also offer a unique opportunity to accessorize your workout outfit with a baseball hat, which is not common in other styles of workout classes. So throw on a cute baseball hat and shimmy into dance class!
PILOXING products shown: Freestyle Hoodie, Champ Sweatpants, On Set T-Shirt Other: Pastry High Tops, Nike Air Hat
Barre classes are so fun to dress for! You can go for a fun, traditional ballet-inspired route with a black unitard and flowy top, or dress more athletic with leggings, a fitted top, and a flowy cover up for layering. The movements in a traditional barre class are very small, so wearing tight fitting clothing is important for you and your instructor to check your form. Traditional barre classes will also require bare or socked feet, and because it’s easy to slip, we recommend getting some grip socks. Piloxing Barre isn’t your typical barre class, as it combines elements of Pilates and Boxing, but it does still require bare or socked feet. You’ll want to check with your Barre class’ website or your instructor beforehand to make sure you won’t need tennis or canvas shoes, or specific socks for the class.
PILOXING: Get It Classic Legging (white) Short Sassy Grip Socks, BARRE One Shoulder Tee, Original PILOXING Gloves Other: Nike Studio Wrap Shoes, Athleta Fitted Bodysuit
Boxing, kickboxing, and PILOXING Knockout can get pretty intense! Don comfortable and supportive shoes for those high impact jumps and aerobic turns. Wear a supportive sports bra, leggings or shorts, and pair it all with a loose fitting top to keep you cool and give you ease of movement while you pack a punch! And of course, the fun part—boxing gloves! Your instructor may ask you to bring specific gloves due to the class style, or they may not have a preference at all. For PILOXING KnockOut, we recommend PILOXING 1/2lb Golden Gloves. Save 20% with your PIA membership and start boxing today!
PILOXING: Champion Sleeveless Hoodie, KO Gloves, Get It Classic Legging (black) Other: Shoes with Compression Cushioning, Everlast Training Gloves
yoga OR PILATES Outfits
For Pilates, yoga, and fusion style classes like PILOXING SSP, you’ll want supportive leggings or yoga shorts, a form fitting top or a simple sports bra, as it can get HOT (especially during classes where they turn up the heat, hot yoga anyone?). Form fitting clothes will prevent you from getting caught up on any kind of equipment, a good rule of thumb for any exercise class that uses equipment. Yoga and Pilates classes are usually done in bare or socked feet, but check with your instructor beforehand or bring a good pair of tennis shoes just in case. Since these classes can get you sweating, a super cute small towel will keep you dry, cool you off between sets, and prevent you from slipping on your yoga mat. Take your workout up a notch with PILOXING SSP style 1/2lb weighted gloves, and pack an extra punch in your PILOXING class!
PILOXING: Original PILOXING Gloves, Galaxy Legging, Say LOVE Tank Other: Nike Flex Trainer, Nike Compression Sports Bra, Lululemon Towel
You don’t need to worry about how you look when you show up to your first group fitness class — what matters is that you showed up. However, the right clothing can increase (or decrease) your performance, so it’s good to know in general what to wear to each class. Research the specific class beforehand to ensure you bring all required materials, and invest in a good pair of shoes and a sturdy water bottle before your first class. Feeling confident in your clothing and being prepared for your fitness class can increase your productivity in class—and when you look good, you’ll feel good!