Post contributed by Vizer user, Alison.
All of my life I played on sports teams—soccer, basketball, softball, you name it. Whatever sport it was, I absolutely loved the energy of practices. It’d be all of my friends after school competing against one another and challenging each other to push a little bit more, and go a little bit faster. We’d run for hours, and it felt like minutes.
But once I went to college I noticed these habits began to change. What used to seem fun and competitive, now seemed more like a chore. I would occasionally try to motivate myself to go after class, but to say I went to the gym inconsistently would be putting it lightly.
I really noticed how much I’d been putting it off when Netflix asked if I was still watching twice in one night. Something had to give.
I started thinking back to my sports days and wondering what had changed between now and then. I was doing similar workouts, and trying to maintain a similar schedule, but I just didn’t have the motivation that I used to. And then it hit me – my teammates! I loved practice because it was fun– my teammates gave me the drive to keep going every workout, practice, and game.
I decided to enlist a gym buddy, and it just so happened that my new roommate also wanted someone to hold her accountable for workouts. It totally changed my relationship with exercise. Here’s why:
Motivation
We began attending the gym regularly and pushing one another when we were tired or “not feeling it”. I learned that sometimes having someone to hold you accountable is all the added motivation you need when you are thinking about skipping a day. Just knowing that she was going to have to go alone if I didn’t show up was enough to make me lace up my shoes and go.
Competition
As a three sport athlete, I am not one to shy away from a challenge. My roommate knows that and when I’m ready to call it a day, she challenges me to races on the sprint hill. It’s crazy how a subtle word change can switch your mindset. Instead of a drill it became a game, and my heart was pumping before I even noticed.
Fun
Having a gym buddy has changed working out from a burden into a daily activity that I simply do not want to miss! I get to hang out with a friend and catch up on our day, while doing something good.
Once I realized it was not the lack of sports limiting me, but the lack of a workout buddy, everything became crystal clear. A gym buddy was the missing piece to my workouts. When I found one I was off to the races.
If you or someone you know is looking for a gym buddy, try first looking in your own network. There are probably several people in the same position that would love the opportunity to connect. Other places to find gym buddies are local fitness leagues or websites like meetup, filled with fitness minded enthusiasts.
Best of luck to you and your gym buddy on your fitness journeys!