All classes in a group are not created equal.

Paul Estabrooks PhD, a University of Nebraska Medical Center behavioral health professor, has discovered that the context of exercise influences the extent to which exercise can impact the health, social interactions, as well as the longevity of those who perform their exercise.

Estabrooks and co-workers reviewed 44 studies to evaluate the advantages of various exercise settings in a review that was published in Sport and Exercise Psychology Review.

These were the scenarios: home exercises with a partner or a professional, regular fitness classes, and group classes. Particular techniques were employed to strengthen social bonds between the participants.

The most successful classes wer