Good morning and Happy Monday! Did you watch the Super Bowl? I watched most of it. Didn’t have a favorite team, watched mainly for the commercials. Loved the M&Ms commercial, the Doritos commercials, and, of course, David Beckham.
Today I am excited to bring you a guest post. Enjoy!
The Benefits of Exercising with a Friend
The number one reason why most exercise routines fail is because of a lack of motivation. The individual adheres to the same routine or exercise program and works out alone, which leads to feelings of boredom. When working out alone, the exerciser might listen to music, read a book or watch television to break up the routine. Another way of making the exercise more fun and increasing motivation is by exercising with a group of friends. Not only has this been proven anecdotally, but scientific studies have been conducted to see the health benefits between individual and group exercises .
Walking
Take for example something as simple as walking. Walking around the block or taking a longer walk around the neighborhood is a low-impact aerobic workout. Adding hand weights or leg weights increases the resistance of the body, which burns more calories. Those exercisers can quickly bore of the routine, especially if they walk the same path daily. Adding a second person or a group of people makes the walk more entertaining. The group can discuss any other workout routines that they use, discuss changes to the neighborhood and motivate each other to walk a little further every day.
The Dreaded Gym
Gym workouts are another area where exercisers find it helpful to work with a group. Group routines are common in gyms that offer classes, such as cycling, aerobics, strip aerobics and Pilates classes. The instructors understand that everyone inside the class has a different background and skill level. By exercising with others, it not only helps motivate the individual, but also helps them feel more comfortable about their own skill level. Watching those that are better at the routine helps them want to become better. They can also track their own progress by comparing their skills against the skills of others in the class.
Yoga
Many women and men find yoga beneficial to their weight loss. Yoga involves finding a connection between the mind, body and spirit. The yoga classes focus on intense stretching and fluid movements that tone the various parts of the body. When most people start taking a class, they cannot stretch or move as well as they hope, but by sticking with the program, users report seeing an improvement in their muscle tone, posture, balance and general well-being. Exercising with a group of friends forces the users to stick with the program and keep pushing themselves to do better, while catching up on the daily gossip. Who doesn’t like to chit-chat?
Working out with a group of friends has a number of benefits. Friends help motivate each other, not only to keep following the program or routine, but to do better. The connection amongst friends also makes working out more enjoyable and takes the mind off of the workout itself. This is why researchers believe working out, walking, or doing anything with friends or a group increases the health benefits of daily exercise. Many nursing homes and cancer facilities have incorporated group yoga, tai chi, and walks to help decrease depression, improve well-being, and increasing life expectancy . Though more studies will be conducted, why wait around? Grab your pal and have some fun!
Today’s post written by Allison (Allie) Brooks. Here is a little about Allie in her own words:
“I am a biomedical anthropologist (fresh on the scene), but when I am home from my travels, I like to guest blog about subjects related to health. Sometimes, I dive into my own experiences, but right now I am enjoying writing about ways to have fun being healthy, or feeling beautiful in your own skin ,no matter what life throws at you. Due to some personal events in the recent months, I feel particularly motivated to write on these subjects.”
Looking for some group activities in Knoxville?
Yoga at Aravinda
Barre3 Studio
Trail Races from KTC
Coming Soon: Knox-Walks Program
Today’s talking point: What are your favorite group activities?
Good morning and Happy Monday! Did you watch the Super Bowl? I watched most of it. Didn’t have a favorite team, watched mainly for the commercials. Loved the M&Ms commercial, the Doritos commercials, and, of course, David Beckham.
Today I am excited to bring you a guest post. Enjoy!
The Benefits of Exercising with a Friend
The number one reason why most exercise routines fail is because of a lack of motivation. The individual adheres to the same routine or exercise program and works out alone, which leads to feelings of boredom. When working out alone, the exerciser might listen to music, read a book or watch television to break up the routine. Another way of making the exercise more fun and increasing motivation is by exercising with a group of friends. Not only has this been proven anecdotally, but scientific studies have been conducted to see the health benefits between individual and group exercises .
Walking
Take for example something as simple as walking. Walking around the block or taking a longer walk around the neighborhood is a low-impact aerobic workout. Adding hand weights or leg weights increases the resistance of the body, which burns more calories. Those exercisers can quickly bore of the routine, especially if they walk the same path daily. Adding a second person or a group of people makes the walk more entertaining. The group can discuss any other workout routines that they use, discuss changes to the neighborhood and motivate each other to walk a little further every day.
The Dreaded Gym
Gym workouts are another area where exercisers find it helpful to work with a group. Group routines are common in gyms that offer classes, such as cycling, aerobics, strip aerobics and Pilates classes. The instructors understand that everyone inside the class has a different background and skill level. By exercising with others, it not only helps motivate the individual, but also helps them feel more comfortable about their own skill level. Watching those that are better at the routine helps them want to become better. They can also track their own progress by comparing their skills against the skills of others in the class.
Yoga
Many women and men find yoga beneficial to their weight loss. Yoga involves finding a connection between the mind, body and spirit. The yoga classes focus on intense stretching and fluid movements that tone the various parts of the body. When most people start taking a class, they cannot stretch or move as well as they hope, but by sticking with the program, users report seeing an improvement in their muscle tone, posture, balance and general well-being. Exercising with a group of friends forces the users to stick with the program and keep pushing themselves to do better, while catching up on the daily gossip. Who doesn’t like to chit-chat?
Working out with a group of friends has a number of benefits. Friends help motivate each other, not only to keep following the program or routine, but to do better. The connection amongst friends also makes working out more enjoyable and takes the mind off of the workout itself. This is why researchers believe working out, walking, or doing anything with friends or a group increases the health benefits of daily exercise. Many nursing homes and cancer facilities have incorporated group yoga, tai chi, and walks to help decrease depression, improve well-being, and increasing life expectancy . Though more studies will be conducted, why wait around? Grab your pal and have some fun!
Today’s post written by Allison (Allie) Brooks. Here is a little about Allie in her own words:
“I am a biomedical anthropologist (fresh on the scene), but when I am home from my travels, I like to guest blog about subjects related to health. Sometimes, I dive into my own experiences, but right now I am enjoying writing about ways to have fun being healthy, or feeling beautiful in your own skin ,no matter what life throws at you. Due to some personal events in the recent months, I feel particularly motivated to write on these subjects.”
Looking for some group activities in Knoxville?
Yoga at Aravinda
Barre3 Studio
Trail Races from KTC
Coming Soon: Knox-Walks Program