If you don’t belong to a group fitness gym, you may think that those people are nuts.
Always talking about the gym, always going to the gym, all their friends are at the gym, bla bla bla!
Are these people all on drugs?
Well, in a way, yes.
I received an article yesterday about this very subject.
The article is a summary of a recent book release.
The Joy Of Movement
How Exercise Helps Us Find Happiness, Hope, Connection, And Courage
“I want them to understand [exercise] in a different way than the usual conversation we always have about weight loss, preventing disease and making our bodies look a certain way,” McGonigal tells NPR.
Among its many life-altering rewards: the generation of hope, happiness, a sense of purpose, greater life satisfaction and rewarding connections with others.
“These benefits are seen throughout the life span,” she writes. “They apply to every socioeconomic strata and appear to be culturally universal.”
I will link to the article below.
I have written a lot about the community. It is one of the most important keys to having success in a gym, whatever that success looks like to you.
We know that the community will not bring anyone to a gym, but it will help them get results, and it will help them stay, which we also know is essential to their long term health.
We know that being involved in a gym like Progression is a protective shield. Consistency over time grows the buffer, no matter what the programming, or how many times a week you come. Over time you build up your resistance to what life throws at you. Mentally and physically.
Physically, members who have been with us over five years are dense walking muscle people. No matter what their body fat percent numbers are, they are durable and have high muscle mass. Our members are getting more muscle mass over time without increasing their waistlines.
Our members are built to thrive in any physical situation. They are more helpful to those around them, and usually stronger than anyone else in their families, no matter what sex they are.
Mentally, the gym for many people becomes their tribe. Tribes help in all areas of life, from sharing of resources to hugging you after a hard day. The bonds formed during movement are real, and they are lasting. The article below touches briefly on the science.
I have spoken to Orange theory owners, and they consider the extra space that we have at Progression as “wasted space” or “not profitable.” They won’t tell you this, but they want you out of the way as soon as you are done with class — same story at Soul Cycle. You are taking up valuable space if you are hanging out. They are probably right. But there is more to Progression then the classes.
Our extra space is where the magic happens. Community matters, moving matters. They both go together. You can just have one. But your resulting shield may be weaker if you do.
Shields UP!
Joshua J Grenell
Article link: Hope, Happiness And Social Connection: Hidden Benefits Of Regular Exercise