A Day In God's Will

Fitness Friends

By ADIGW in : His Fit Temple // Aug 7 2011

There comes a time or season when even fitness fanatics find training to be a lonesome affair. Individuals who are serious about their exercise tend to go it alone. However, if you ask the question “Would you like to work out with someone sometimes”? The answer is often (not always) yes.

It can be a bit tricky exercising with friends because everyone is at a different level of fitness. One might feel they need to ‘keep up’ with a much fitter friend’s routine, or slow down to help them catch up to yours.

So what do you do when you feel like you would like to have company whilst training and how do you manage those fitness friendships? Here are a few pointers:

Find someone with a genuine desire for and dedication to fitness. This is very important. The last thing you want is someone to drain you mentally and physically before, during or after training. It is best to be allied with someone or a group of friends who understand the importance and benefits of physical fitness

Set the rules: Training time IS for training. I have seen people in the gym who stand next to another individual on a stationary bike, chatting. I go off and do an hour’s workout only to discover on returning that they are there, STILL chatting away! The time for training should be kept as so. There is always time to hang out before and after your scheduled training session. Focus on the task at hand.

Set expectations: There will be days when you really want to train alone and some days with your friends. Set days when you might want to train together with them. However, be flexible. There will be days you or your friend(s) feel like going solo. Setting expectations means these will always be on the cards. However, be cordial; give as much notice as possible. Think of the other individual’s schedule too.

All you need to do is browse through the internet and you will find the results of numerous studies that detail the benefits of training with other people.

Some of them are:

Motivation: You have someone to motivate you and vice versa, especially on days when you are feeling mentally challenged to get moving. Motivation is particularly helpful to me during the cold months. I love training in the mornings at 6:00am whilst it’s still pitch black. Thankfully, Doose works out with me some mornings, so she gets me out of bed!

Sharing: When you train with other people your conversations will involve health and nutrition. You will learn or share helpful tips that will progress you both in your fitness goals.

Encouragement: You are encouraged to run that extra mile, work out that extra 10 minutes on the stepper or go a bit heavier on your weights because you have someone next to you who sees your efforts and encourages you to go that bit further.

Finally, if you have friends who are allergic to exercising and fitness in general, don’t lose hope. For example, if you belong to a health club, it is a great place to meet new people and make great friends. Go to a group class, smile, say hello, and speak to people. If you keep going, you will get to know them better, and maybe go out for a drink sooner than you think.

Or better still, ladies, that human block of toned muscles, yes, that one you keep admiring from afar - walk up to him and ask him how to use a machine you find absolutely terrifying. That should be a conversation starter.

We are all relational beings and need the company of others at work, or play and this includes exercise activities. So if you feel like you are stuck on Loner Street [or ‘Lonely Avenue’, take your pic J] during your exercise sessions, why not invite your friends, old or newly-made, and have fun working that temple!

Until next time, keep those Fit Temples moving!

Much Love, Remi
ADIGW

***picture by Google***