One of the best things that you can do right now to ensure success with your commitment to exercise is to start to make it a public experience rather than a private one. There are a whole host of benefits that can help you get better results with your fitness or help ease the transition of adding more movement in your life.
Partner Exercise
Having a partner to exercise with on a regular basis is a great way to improve your results and enjoyment. You could find a walking or running partner, a friend to go to the gym with, or someone who enjoys similar types of physical activities as you. An exercise buddy can help you:
- Stay on track and hold you accountable to your exercise routine
- Help keep you motivated and encouraged
- Help build a strong friendship and make exercise more fun!
Group Exercise
Something that has been gaining popularity recently is organized exercise and supervised group classes. Facilities like Crossfit gyms, YMCA’s, Bootcamps and other fitness programs are finding that coached exercisers in group programs are enjoying the following benefits:
- Regular encouragement
- Accountability
- Positive social atmosphere
- Tons of fun!
Patient information published in 2005 in the Journal of American Academy of Physician Assistants also recommends that people exercise with a partner or group because they “are more likely to stay on track.” The group encourages exercisers to involve family members, friends, and even pets, as “dogs need exercise too.”
Other benefits of group fitness:
You’re more likely to complete a well-rounded exercise routine and get a potentially tougher workout. A class can help you move past a plateau — if you want to push yourself a little bit and improve. Other exercisers who might be in better shape than you can help create what is called a vicarious experience to motivate you. Exercising with others can make you want to be your best and achieve better fitness and overall health.
The combination of improving your fitness, meeting new people, and learning a new skill produces an excellent confidence boost, too. You’ll start to feel better about yourself and feel that nothing is too difficult for you to achieve. New research suggests that for some (but not all) people, finding workout buddies can even help turn fitness into a pleasant addiction by triggering chemicals in the brain that elicit the same feelings as dancing and laughter.
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