|
How many of you reading
this finds it difficult to adhere to a fitness regime? If you’re
like most Americans, you probably find it at least challenging,
some may even go so far as to say impossible. From my experience,
I find that you must adhere to a program for at least six months
before it becomes routine, and several years before it becomes
a lifestyle. For most people, this is challenging to say the least.
If you’re lucky, you may have a circle of friends or an active
family to support you, but if not, getting going in the beginning
can be tough.
So the focus of this edition’s column will be on the benefits
of exercising with one or two buddies. Not only does this increase
your likelihood of sticking with a fitness program once you start
it, but it can make it more enjoyable for you as well. Weather
you will be training at a health club, home gym, or participating
in a sport, this can work for you. It will contribute three major
factors to the success of your newly undertaken fitness regime:
accountability, safety, and enjoyment.
Being accountable to another
person will help you to keep your workouts on schedule and on
track. It is often very easy to tell yourself that you will work
out later on in the day, after you get your more important tasks
out of the way. While some people probably can do this, most cannot.
Having a workout partner usually forces you to perform your workouts
at your scheduled time. You will most likely be more consistent
if you outline an exercise schedule in advance and then stick
to it consistently. While some people have more energy in the
mornings, others prefer to train in the evenings. No one is better
than the other, just choose a schedule that will work well for
you. There is probably more time in a day than you realize, and
if you set out to make the most of it, you may be surprised and
amazed at the outcome.
Safety is another reason
to train with a partner. Especially in the beginning, everything
is new and unfamiliar, so it is very easy to forget how to do
the exercises appropriately. Form is extremely important in the
safety of an exercise. Having another person there to remind you
of what you may forget, can work very well. You know the old saying,
"two heads are better than one." In addition to proper
form, having a training partner to spot you during a heavy lift
is necessary unless you are lifting on specialized equipment like
the Smith Machine.
Enjoyment is perhaps the single most important reason to train
with a friend. Your workouts can be somewhat of a social occasion
as well as a productive workout session, if done correctly. They
can serve as a nice way to spend time with friends or loved ones
while simultaneously doing something that is moving you towards
better health and a longer life.
So if you can’t seem
to get into gear training of your own, try giving it a try with
a friend or family member. If no one seems to be available or
interested, take a look around the gym and see if someone else
like yourself isn’t having the same problem. You can help
each other by training together. Don’t be bashful, you have
nothing to lose just by asking!
Melissa Allen is a certified
personal trainer, Blackbelt & fitness consultant, as well
as the owner of Optimum Condition— personal fitness training
and kickboxing instruction. She is a regular columnist with various
newspapers and welcomes input from her readers. Please contact
her with any questions or comments that you may have by calling
(619) 252-4993, email her at Opticondit@aol.com, or visit her
website at www.optimumcondition.com. |
