So, you’ve made the first decision. You’ve decided you’re going to get fit. Full of enthusiasm and good intentions, you make your way to your nearest gym. Then you step through the door.
There’s lots of large, unfamiliar equipment that looks like it could cause you some damage if you use it incorrectly. There are people with big muscles who look like they’ve been training for years and move with intimidating confidence around the room. There’s noise and business that just makes you feel shut out. Suddenly you feel very small and very alone.
Lots of people want to exercise, but many of them won’t make it past that first rush of eagerness. If you want to start training, you could bring a companion with you to offer encouragement, help you figure out any problems and maybe offer some friendly rivalry. If you run any kind of fitness studio, from aerobics to gym to yoga, you could take steps to establish a welcoming feel in your studio.
In recent years, group training (more than five people doing the same exercise together) has been fairly consistently one of the top fitness trends (https://journals.lww.com/acsm-healthfitness/Fulltext/2018/11000/WORLDWIDE_SURVEY_OF_FITNESS_TRENDS_FOR_2019.6.aspx). It seems a lot of people are taking advantage of the benefits that a fitness community can provide.
People who exercise together rather than alone are more likely to stick to their program and less likely to cancel their membership. They enjoy sessions more, meaning improved motivation, focus and self-esteem. Members of fitness communities can hold each other accountable, pushing everyone to do better. When one person is struggling, the others can pick them up again. When one person does well, it will be reinforced by congratulations from the rest of the group.
It’s not easy to establish a fitness community. Some people have their blinders on when they exercise and may not want to even consider breaking from their own insular approach. It requires a lot of communication and openness between all participants as well as with owners/trainers. You’ll need patience to properly establish and grow the necessary relationships.
Get it right, however, and you’ve found a way to make exercise more effective. Not only can you get physically fitter, but you can brighten your mood, improve your mental performance and build new and meaningful relationships with your fellow exercisers. The value of community to exercise should not be underestimated.
