Around 20 to 30% of people have enough self-motivation to haul themselves to the gym a few times a week. It’s not always the most pleasant experience for them, but they do it anyway because they know it’s good for them.
Unfortunately, there’s a much broader group of people who can’t sustain that sort of behaviour. They go to the gym for a few weeks in the New Year but struggle to maintain it into the spring and summer.
For many, the problem is laziness. But that’s usually only a superficial and shallow response. The real causes often go much deeper.
For example, many people struggle to exercise because there’s no one else there. As such, the entire exercise feels pointless and moot.
In this post, we look at some of the reasons why you shouldn’t exercise alone. We also explore how doing it with others can help you discover new activities and take advantage of psychological rewards.
Boost Motivation
For starters, being active with others boosts motivation. You’re more likely to get into something if you have someone else there to do it with you.
You can sometimes generate your own motivation, but it is significantly more challenging. It’s not always easy to force yourself to go to the gym or go out for a run. It sometimes feels pointless and it’s boring for a lot of individuals.
However, playing a sport or enjoying a cycle ride with someone else changes the dynamic. All of a sudden, it makes more sense.
Improve Accountability
Exercising with someone else also improves accountability. You feel like you have to do it otherwise you might let the other person down.
Improving accountability is challenging. But it’s possible if you have someone with you who’s honest and willing to put your needs first. You need an individual like this in your life to encourage you to keep going until you discover you enjoy the activity, whatever it happens to be.
Find New Sports
Exercising with other people also helps you find new sports. You’re much more likely to discover interesting avenues to go down when you influence other people around you. It doesn’t all have to originate from you.
Sometimes finding a new sport might mean buying gear from a cricket store or investing in a kayak. It could also involve purchasing abseiling equipment or upgrading your car to accommodate mountain bikes.
Whatever it is, variety is the spice of life. Take advantage of it.
Set Goals With Your Friend
Setting goals with your exercise buddy is another way to avoid the curse of solo exercise. It gives you both a focus and ensures that you’re on each other’s side.
You can make your goals a public declaration or keep them between the pair of you. Whichever approach you use, ensure you write them down and keep a record. Then you can look back on them in the future with a sense of pride and achievement. Often, it is amazing just how far you can come in six months.