Exercising with someone else or in a group has long been suggested as a way to make you more likely to stick to your program and to make exercise more enjoyable.
I’ve certainly found it to be the case. I almost always ride with others and swim with someone else.
I’ve just got back from my usual Saturday bike ride and although it wasn’t that enjoyable this morning, I’m glad I went.
The weather was terrible; cold, wet, windy and dark at the start.
It was certainly, the sort of day when it would be easy to roll over and go back to sleep. I made sure I got up quickly before I thought too much about it!
For whatever reason, my legs felt heavy and tired. I certainly wasn’t bursting with energy or enthusiasm like I am most Saturdays. (It’s always easier on the weekends)
My legs felt like this from the time I left home to meet my friends, 4 km away, but once I got to the meeting spot I was committed. There’s no way I could go home after turning up.
During the ride I never really felt that good and I didn’t get up the hills as fast as usual, but I wasn’t going to turn around and go home half way through the ride.
I thought about taking a few short cuts, which some of the older riders do, but hung in there with my friend, who realized I was having a bad day, and waited for me at the top of the hills.
I finished the ride and was very glad to get home to a hot shower.
I’m sure you have had similar days when you just don’t feel like exercising and never really get going. We all do.
If I had been exercising on my own it would have been easy to stay in bed, cut my ride short or cruise along at a slow pace.
The fact that I was exercising with others helped to keep me going. Not only was I committed to meet them at the agreed time, but just talking with them during the ride took my mind off how bad my legs felt!
If you are struggling to keep to your exercise routine or find it easy to skip sessions, find a friend or better still a group of friends to exercise with. It won’t necessarily make it easier physically, but mentally it is much easier because you get dragged along with the group.
If you don’t know of a group who exercise together, why not start one. Your friends will thank you for it (most days).
