When most of us think about group fitness classes, we envision a happy troupe of "regular folks" in happy colors, energetically pumping away to refreshing music from a boom box or surround sound speakers, in a bright, comfortable room, with a friendly, beaming trainer looking on.  Sometimes that's how the story goes...and sometimes it's not.

Lots of group classes go just you'd expect they would, but a few others can turn a little, well, hectic.  

One of the first considerations for getting the most out of a group class is making sure you belong there.  Some of these classes are only for advanced levels of fitness, and they should be advertised as such.  That said, it doesn't make sense to go into something way above your head and expect to get a lot out of it.  If you're just starting to limber up your muscles or working off a hefty "weight surplus", don't try to go toe to toe with the super-pumped crowd.  Give yourself time to build muscle and lung capacity, and when it's time to climb up on the bike for that extra spin class, you'll be glad you did!

Some other elements of a group class are out of a member's control.  One of them is the "music breakdown".  You may have seen this before: a class suffers while a hapless instructor tires to cue a tape or navigate a CD.  Or, bad wire connections produce an annoying crackling that has everybody holding their ears.  The gap between tracks on some workout CDs can also be a distraction.

Then there's another scenario: the prima donna.  A narcissist in your class can have an ill effect on the kind of flowing exercise that promotes good group activity.  Whether he or she is just talking over the instructor, letting electronic devices intrude, or actively shutting down the class for some personal crisis, the rest of the class often feels the distraction, and things can get out of hand quickly.

If you encounter something like this in a group class, well, as mentioned, some of these things are out of the control of a group class member.  One thing that can help, though, is to remember that you are one person in a group of people, and that, whatever happens, the instructor is in charge.  Don't let your own distractions lead you to further disrupt the class by calling the instructor out during the proceedings.  If there's anything you feel you need to say, say it after hours, and let the person who is tasked with being the leader fix any inconveniences and keep the class on track.  Your instructor will thank you, and your class won't dissolve into the next episode of the Jerry Springer show.

Another good idea is to get more communication in with the instructor up front.  Lots of group classes can benefit from concrete description, whether it's to make sure the class is including a balance of activities, or to clarify any other points about the class.  So ask your instructor for any "syllabus" materials so that you know what to expect while the class is in session.

Finally, you do have one other option, and one that you should always keep in mind.  If a class doesn't fit you, or you feel that anything is going wrong, don't hesitate to "vote with your feet"...and leave.  It may take some trial and error to find the classes that fit you best, but in the end, you'll know that the extra searching was worth it.