October 2009

I talk to a lot of people that say they just don’t like the gym.  They would rather go for a walk or run outside, or do DVDs or lift weights at home.  After some prodding, they usually admit its because they are intimidated by the gym: they feel like everyone is in better shape than they are, they don’t know how to use the equipment and think everyone is watching them.

The sad part about this is that its easier to quit at home, too.    No one notices if you only walk around the block, no one notices if you check your email during your exercise DVD, and no one notices if you only do a few bicep curls and then quit.

If this sounds like you, you NEED a gym.  Here’s how trading in your home workout for a gym can boost your workout:

Social environment. Working out with people with the same goals and drive is going to motivate you to work out harder and for longer. You aren’t going to quit when you have others encouraging you to continue and having fun.

Expert advice. Personal trainers are always right there to check your form and make suggestions. No more hoping that you are performing an exercise right, or worse yet, doing an exercise incorrectly over and over again resulting in no results or an injury.  Even a few sessions with a trainer can do wonders- you will be set up with the perfect workout plan tailor made just for you.

Nutrition education. You can speak with professionals about how to develop a healthy and effective workout meal plan, or just get some healthy nutrition tips to get the most out of your workouts.

Variety of equipment. No matter how much money you spend, a gym is always going to have more equipment, giving you more varied workouts to get you better results and to keep you from getting bored.

You can exercise year round. You can’t get rained or snowed out of the gym. Its always nice and dry inside of a gym so weather is never an excuse to skip a workout.

Self-acceptance. There is no shame in not being the fittest person in the gym. Remind yourself that even though everyone is at a different place on their weight loss or fitness plan, everyone is there for the same reason. Everyone has to work out, and watching and learning from the fittest people can be very motivating. They have to sweat and work to get their fit bodies, and if you keep working, you will, too.

Fun. Remember the days of being a kid and naturally running, jumping and playing? When you think of taking a fitness class as fun and exciting, you can look forward to exercise instead of seeing it as one more chore.

Getting out of the house for your workout is the best way to get the best results- and to have the most fun. That’s what gyms are for: for everyone to be able to comfortably work out in the way they need to reach their goals. So take the plunge.

No one does it alone. The fastest way to get to your goals. And not face endless setbacks trials and failures. Is to get a training partner.  Having a partner will make working out an event you look forward to, instead of individual drudgery.  If you are having fun, you’re going to workout harder and longer.  You’ll find yourself energized and motivated by being with someone else who is committed to getting into shape and/or losing weight, just like you.

You do have to be careful what kind of partner you choose, however, or you might find out you are playing babysitter and trainer more than equal partner.  Here are some tips to make sure you choose the best workout partner for you.

• Make sure you have similar goals. If you need to lose weight, but your partner wants to bulk up, you aren’t going to be able to train together and motivate each other.  Chances are you’ll spend most of your time at opposite ends of the gym, so make sure you both you’re both on the same page goal wise.
• Make sure you have similar commitment levels. This is where the rubber meets the road. A partner that doesn’t show up is worse than no partner at all. Their lack of commitment hurts your progress.  Whether you recognize it consciously or unconsciously. Ditch an uncommitted partner like a bad habit. Fickleness and flakiness have no place in your life. Get rid of leaches.
• Your schedules are the same. Obviously, if you can only work out in the morning, but your would be partner goes in at 5:30 am, its not going to work. Training time is training time.
• You agree to motivate each other in a positive way. You have to keep each other accountable, but having someone that is going to go negative on you is a bad idea.  They should be able to in a motivating manner remind  you of what you need to do and keep you on track.
• You are at similar fitness levels and can work out at similar intensities. A slight difference can be motivating, but if your partner is in fantastic shape and you are just starting out, you are going to feel defeated pretty quickly.  Conversely, if you are in better shape than your partner, you are going to feel like they are slowing you down.  Make sure that you can keep up with each other, but are able to give each other little nudges to keep going.

Bottom line. The right training partner can make all the difference in the world. With the right partner. You’ll be more consistent than ever. Train harder and have more fun while getting better results than you ever could alone.