Updated: April 02, 2022

15 Team Building Workouts for Group Fitness in 2023

You found our list of fun team building workouts.

Team building workouts refer to group fitness exercises or activities that both facilitate team bonding and better your team’s health. Examples include yoga, dance, indoor cycling and more. The purpose of these activities is to combine physical exercise with teamwork and community building.

These workouts are similar to online team fitness classes, and help you achieve team building benefits like improved communication and teamwork.

Specifically, this list contains:

  • team building workout games
  • group workout ideas
  • team building fitness challenges
  • group fitness exercise ideas
  • fitness team building activities

Here is the list

List of team building workouts

Working out is more fun when you have others to go on a fitness journey with you. Comprising both indoor and outdoor physical activities, here is our list of team building workouts.

1. Indoor cycling

Also known as spin class, indoor cycling is a physical team building activity. By signing up for indoor cycling classes together, an instructor will guide your team in a high-intensity workout that tests your endurance and strength. Indoor cycling makes for an excellent cardio team building exercise because you and your fellow team members can encourage each other as you power through uphill climbs and speed surges.

2. Dance

For teams nimble on their feet, dance classes are a great group fitness team building idea for increasing flexibility, balance, and coordination. With a plethora of choices ranging from ballet to African dance, your team will definitely find a dance style that fits. Some dances, such as swing or Brazilian zouk, are social or partner dances and will require you to partner up. Due to the variety available, your workout’s intensity will differ depending on the dance style.

You can also do a team building dance.

3. Zumba

Composed of sixteen basic steps, Zumba is a team building physical fitness exercise that is a cardio and aerobic workout. Zuma is fun to try with your team because of the upbeat Latin music and easy to replicate moves. Unlike some dance classes, you are not required to memorize any routines, since the instructor will demonstrate the steps in front of the class, which means that anyone can join at any time.

4. Pilates

Pilates is a team building fitness class, where your team performs a series of exercises that strengthen core muscles and improve balance. When you take pilates classes as a team, you can encourage each other as you get stronger. Best yet, if your team does not want to shell out money to take a pilates course, then your team can follow along pilates instructors on YouTube, such as Blogilates or Jessica Valant Pilates.

5. Yoga

For those teams that want a less intense workout, team building yoga may be a better fit. Consisting of a series of poses, breathing exercises, and meditation, yoga provides wellness benefits, in addition to improving flexibility and muscle tone. You and your team can use yoga as a break, where you calm your mind and be in tune with your body.

6. Weight training

If gaining muscle is your team’s goal, then you can pursue weight training. After signing up for a gym membership together, hit the gym at least three times a week. While at the gym, focus on using free weights or gym equipment, instead of hopping on the treadmill. This team building workout holds everyone accountable, and motivates people to make gym visits a regular habit. You can even partner up and gamify your gym exercises with fun workout games.

7. Self-defense

For skills that are applicable in real life, register your team for self-defense classes. From Krav Maga to Aikido, there are many martial arts disciplines you can choose from. Taking these classes is a great way to boost fitness and learn new skills. Not only will your team grow stronger together, but your people will also learn how to be more disciplined and pick up a few lifesaving techniques along the way.

8. Kickboxing

Another application of martial arts, kickboxing is a cardio workout that sets choreographed moves, like punches, jabs, and kicks, to energetic music. Trying out this physical fitness team building exercise as a team is awesome because you and your coworkers get to burn calories together and celebrate when you finally get the hang of the fast-paced routines. This workout will get your team raring to go.

9. Tai Chi

If kickboxing is too fast for you, then consider slowing down with Tai Chi. First created in ancient China, Tai Chi emphasizes control over the mind and body. When your team enrolls in Tai Chi classes, they can use the time to shut out work-related stress and concentrate on how their body feels as they flow from movement to movement. Your employees will emerge from Tai Chi class feeling refreshed and ready to return to work.

10. Bouldering

Also known as rock climbing, bouldering is where you climb predetermined routes without harnesses or ropes. Usually, bouldering walls are not super high. However, these climbing techniques challenge your whole body’s muscles, as you lift yourself through your arm, leg, and core strength, making bouldering a fantastic workout. Bouldering is also very social. Because there are multiple routes on a wall, two team members can simultaneously set out on the same wall, while observers cheer them on.

11. Hiking

For an outside adventure, hiking is a healthy activity, where participants navigate trails in the wilderness. Ranging from low to high difficulty, hiking is a group fitness activity where you can easily involve an unlimited number of people. In addition to training endurance, hiking has the added advantage of taking you to beautiful nature spots and can be a much-needed escape from city life.

12. River tracing

Popular in Japan and Taiwan, river tracing is a more intense form of hiking that eschews trails in favor of swimming, rock climbing, and mountain climbing upstream to locate a river’s source. If your team is already physically fit and revels in challenges, then river tracing could be a great way for you to bond as you trek through difficult terrain. When your team reaches their destination, you can celebrate together and take some stunning photos.

13. Kayaking

Kayaking is a sport, where you paddle a small, canoe-like boat through water. When your team uses kayaking as team building, you join a cardio activity that will train both your core, arms, and legs. Not only is it a great way to get your team outdoors and on the water, but kayaking is also fun and relaxing. You get to hang out with your coworkers in a whole new way, while also reaping the mental health benefits from dopamine release.

14. Outdoor Cycling

For a fitness activity that is easy to get into, consider going cycling with your team. Cycling helps increase strength and stamina, and keeps your heart healthy. Since cycling’s difficulty depends on the route you take, you can easily adjust your cycling trips if you have any beginners. You can even encourage your team to bring family members along as you explore breathtaking nature spots.

15. Running

Running is a fitness activity that only requires a pair of sneakers. This workout functions as a team building exercise because your team can regularly remind each other to run and push each other to improve. Running is a cardio workout that strengthens muscles and burns calories. To simplify scheduling, your team can either run in the mornings and then head into work together. Or, your team can run in the evenings as a way to decompress after the workday ends.

Conclusion

Team building workouts are a great way to bring your people together for fun and fitness. You can start with the exercises on this list, and the branch out into other activities too. The key is to find exercises that your team enjoys, so that team building becomes part of the routine and not just another chore.

Next, consider some of the team building games you can incorporate into your program!

FAQ: Team Building Workouts

Want to learn more about team building workouts? Here are some frequently asked questions about group fitness and working out as a team.

What is group fitness?

Group fitness refers to any physical activity that people do with more than one person. You can take group exercise classes or simply pursue these physical activities as informal hobbies.

What are some physical team building activities?

Some physical team building activities include:

  • Indoor cycling
  • Dance
  • Zumba
  • Pilates
  • Yoga
  • Weight training
  • Self-defense
  • Kickboxing
  • Tai Chi
  • Bouldering
  • Hiking
  • River tracing
  • Kayaking
  • Cycling
  • Running

These team building exercises cover all levels of difficulty, so your team is sure to find one to their liking. While planning, you should mix up the physical team building type so that your team can work on different health benefits, muscle groups, or simply switch between being indoors and outdoors.

How can I make fitness fun?

You can make fitness fun by framing it as a group activity. Not only will your fitness group hold you accountable and motivate you to continue improving yourself, but you will also have friends and colleagues to share your fitness accomplishments with.

How do I set up a group fitness program?

Setting up a group fitness program requires a fair bit of coordination and research. Here’s how to organize a group fitness program:

  1. Identify your group members
  2. Set a regular schedule, usually three times a week
  3. Figure out your budget
  4. Choose a fitness type and class
  5. Remind your group to participate
  6. Incentivize your group to continue
  7. Repeat every time you would like to switch up your fitness program

With these basic guidelines, you can plan a fitness program for your team. Once you set your fitness program in motion, you will find it easy to accommodate exercise into a weekly routine.

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Author:

Content Expert at teambuilding.com.
Team building content expert. Jessica has a double major in English and Asian Studies, and experience working with teams across cultures; including 3+ years in Taiwan.

LinkedIn Jessica Chen