If you’ve ever been to an 8:15 Sculpt at the Goleta CorePower Yoga Studio, you know how packed it gets. It’s one of those classes where mats fill the room wall to wall, and everyone moves in rhythm under the hot lights, expelling energy (and sweat). Even just driving to Target on Hollister, you’ll see a parade of girls pedaling with yoga mats in their baskets. I’ve definitely been one of them before heading to my free seven-day trial at CorePower Yoga.
CorePower may be one of the biggest names among UCSB students, but it’s far from the only group option. Santa Barbara’s fitness scene is full of studios that cater to the same love for community-based movement. Pilates and Or, Body Rok, StarCycle, all different in their focus but sharing that same underlying principle of moving together. Whether it’s pedaling to the beat on the bike, flowing through sun salutations, or working through a sculpt series on a mat, each class builds on a collective theme that keeps people coming back despite the high price tag.
Group exercise is hardly a new phenomenon. It’s been around for decades, from early Aerobics in the 1960s to the bright-colored spandex and upbeat choreography of Jazzercise in the 1980s to today’s sleek Lululemon sets and Alo mats. While the aesthetics have evolved, the appeal has remained the same. There’s something about working out together with others that motivates us in a way solo workouts can’t always do. The National Library of Medicine found that “belonging to an exercise group appears to be associated with forms of social support that strengthen exercise identity for both women and men”(2023).
Group exercise has been around for decades, long before Lululemon sets and sculpt playlists. The idea first took off in the 1940s with Jack LaLanne’s television show, which encouraged stay-at-home moms to move their bodies from home. In 1966, Dr. Kenneth Cooper, a physiologist from Dallas, officially coined the term aerobics, launching a new era of fitness focused on endurance and cardiovascular health. From there, group exercise evolved into the bright-colored spandex and upbeat choreography of Jazzercise in the 1980s, a decade that made sweating in a room full of people look fun, empowering, and stylish.
Even though the aesthetics have changed, the core appeal hasn’t. Whether it’s vintage aerobics or today’s sculpt and spin classes, the motivation stays the same. People come together, feed off each other’s energy, and leave with a smile, feeling stronger than when they walked in.
Having taken group exercise classes around the world, I’ve realized that the feeling is universal. Whether it’s beach yoga in Hawaii, a spin studio in Eugene, Oregon, Zumba with my mom at our local gym, or a sculpt class in Santa Barbara, the energy is the same. A collective movement, presence, and joy. No one’s perfect, and no one needs to be. That’s part of what makes it so special. All that matters is showing up, doing your best, and moving together.
I’ve also grown so much closer to people through group fitness classes. In college, I became friends with some of my now closest people just by seeing them in class each week and grabbing smoothies together after yoga. When I moved to Spain completely alone for three months, joining a Pilates class immediately made the city feel smaller and more familiar. Even when studying abroad in Tahiti, doing makeshift yoga sessions on the beach with my group became a daily moment of calm and connection despite our busy schedule.
Group fitness helps to create a routine and a break from the everyday stresses. It’s a time to decompress, move, and socialize. I’ve definitely debated the high-class prices, especially as a college student, but I always leave feeling clearer and happier. There’s something so fulfilling about seeing everyone’s smiles at the end of a hard workout. Whether it’s dance, Pilates, or even kickboxing, (which I surprisingly loved!), there’s truly a class for everyone.
When school gets hectic and all my commitments begin to pile up, I’ve always used group exercise as a way to just step away for a bit. When midterms or deadlines are coming up, it’s the one hour where I don’t think about anything else. The lights, the music, the instructor, the class, it all takes over for a little while. It’s not really about the workout at all. It’s just a chance to clear my head and move. I always leave feeling refreshed and ready to get back to everything else.
I understand group fitness classe’s hold in fitness culture because it’s about more than just the workout. It’s about being part of something bigger, finding balance, strength, and community all at once, attributes especially important during the college years. Trends, playlists, and outfits may change, but the overarching themes stay the same, connection, energy, and the power of moving together.
Some Group Fitness Studios In the UCSB and Santa Barbara Area:
Pilates and Or (My Favorite Studio) – Reformer Pilates Studio located in Downtown Santa Barbara
Homebody Studios – Reformer Pilates Studio located in Montecito
Body Rok – Reformer Pilates Studio with locations in Downtown Santa Barbara and Goleta
Starcycle – Cycling Studio located in La Cumbre Santa Barbara
Power of your Om – Yoga Studio in Downtown Santa Barbara
Corepower Yoga – Hot Yoga Studio with locations in Goleta, La Cumbre, and Downtown Santa Barbara
UCSB Department of Recreation Classes – Yoga, Cycling, Dance, and Pilates classes located at the UCSB Recreation Center