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Humans are hardwired to derive pleasure 
from synchronized physical activity. 

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Fitness trends come and go, but if you observe 
them closely, you will discover that many recent 
exercise crazes share a similar format: they 
supercharge an already existing activity by 
adding synchronized movement and community 
spirit.
Consider Tae Bo, for example, which adds 
elements of dance choreography to boxing, or 
SoulCycling, which brings a social, almost 
spiritual, element to the lone sport of indoor 
cycling.
Since the beginning of history, humans have 
gathered to move together. First, in all kinds of 
social, pagan, or religious rituals; nowadays, in 
group exercise classes. As anthropologists have 
observed all over the world, moving in unison 
seems to make people feel more connected – to 
each other, but also to something bigger than 
themselves. French sociologist Émile Durkheim 
called the joyful self-transcendence humans can 
derive from moving together “collective 
effervescence.”
Synchrony seems to be a key factor in producing 
such collective joy. In fact, synchronizing 
physical activity with others seems to be an 
ancient human reflex. When we feel close to a 
person, for example, our breathing, heartbeats, 
and even brain activity tend to automatically 
align themselves. And we are actually better at 
synchronizing with another person’s slightly 
irregular beat than with a perfect computer-
generated rhythm.
The reason why this has such a powerful effect 
on our psyche can be explained through a 
process called proprioception, by which our 
brain senses what our body is doing in space. 
When we move, our body is constantly sending 
feedback to our brain about the movement. And 
when we see others performing the same 
movements that we feel ourselves doing, our 
brain assimilates these sensations into a very 
satisfying perception of oneness. As your fellow 
humans begin to seem like a part of yourself, 
you also become more likely to share and 
cooperate with them.
The bonding effect of moving in synchrony can 
be demonstrated in babies as young as fourteen 
months old. One study showed that babies are 
more likely to help a stranger pick up dropped 
pencils after they had bounced to music in sync 
with that person. 
Transcending our individual limitations and 
increasing mutual trust seem to be the main 
functions of synchronized movement, and it’s 
probably why humans employ it in so many 
social, religious, or military rituals. Whether it’s a 
hunter-gatherer tribe performing a dance ritual, 
or college students in a pilates class, 
synchronized movement helps us leave our 
egos behind and bond with people we are not 
related to.