We all know that exercise has so many positive effects on your body – but have you ever really thought about how it can affect your mental state?
It may not always be apparent – especially when it’s 8pm on a Monday evening and you’re trying everything possible to drag you away from Eastenders – but regular exercise provides incredible benefits for your mental health and wellbeing.
Even just a low intensity workout releases whole load of endorphins and reduces cortisol – making you feel happier, healthier and relaxed. Only through regular and varied exercise will you be able to optimize your workouts to gives you the most satisfaction.
A Canadian study found that 30 minutes of solid exercise had a more positive effect on your mood and mental health than 3 separate 10 minute exercises. You don’t have to hit the gym for 2 hours a day, every day, to feel the benefits of regular exercise.
It’s often forgotten that strength training has essentially the same mental health benefits as cardio – with the added intensity acting as a great stress release as well.
A study by Rutgers University found that moderate intensity strength training was the sweet spot for a healthy mind – somewhere around the 8-12 reps mark. You should always set optimistic yet achievable goals – giving you the best chance of satisfaction when you achieve them.
Make sure you bring your headphones with you too. Our moods are improved as much as 15% when listening to your favourite motivating tunes. Although music is already played at the gym – putting your headphones on can really help you to focus and not be worried about making too much noise.
There’s a lot of pressure on the Internet about what the “correct” and “best” exercises there are to lose weight or put on strength – but this is very often not the case for many people. Everyone is different and everyone’s body responds differently to exercise and diet. It’s important for you to try a number of exercises and diet plans to find what works for you.
Shape your workout and optimise it to fit in with your life. This will give you the most satisfaction and allow you to enjoy your fitness journey.
5 Reasons why a gym buddy will improve your workout
We are celebrating Happiness Month throughout May. Enjoying fitness and valuing health will be a huge focus of happiness month – where we will be giving away £50 of Nike vouchers for you and CrossFit gyms in Pittsburgh buddy to share each week, as a little helping hand to get you on your fitness journey. Remember, you don’t have to do this alone!
Unless you have some otherworldly mental determination, you’ll be hard-pressed to consistently achieve your fitness goals on your own. Having a gym buddy can mean the difference between success and failure – both mentally and physically. Even if you think you’re working at maximum capacity already – having a gym buddy can often turn a good workout into a great workout.
“The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides the champion from someone else who is not a champion. That’s what most people lack, having the guts to go on and just say they’ll go through the pain no matter what happens”
When you think you’re on your last rep – having your buddy there spotting you gives you the motivation to tap into some energy that you never knew you had before, safe in the knowledge that you can safely go until failure.
We’ve put together 5 reasons why you may benefit from having a gym buddy:
1: You’ll feel more motivated
“I’ve had a long day – I’ll just go to the gym tomorrow.”
It’s all too easy to put off the gym until the next day, when suddenly it’s 2 weeks later and you still haven’t been. You’re far less likely to cancel your gym session when one of your good friends is counting on you to be there. Even if you have actually made it down to the gym on your own – it can be hard to find the motivation to continue. There’s no one there to stop you from just getting up and leaving before you’ve had a chance to really get stuck into your workout.
Going to the gyms in Allentown pa with a friend helps motivate you to put in 110% while you’re there. If you’re not really up for it, but your friend is, it can really rub-off on you and completely change your attitude.
It also helps to keep your ego in check. If you only ever lift on your own, it’s easy to just add a little 5-10kg to your personal best when you’re telling your friends. But you can’t hide anything when they’re there with you. This can be a serious reality check when your good friend can lift the weight that you aspire to be able to.
2: You’ll always have a spotter
It probably shouldn’t be – but asking Allentown gyms member to spot you can sometimes feel a bit awkward. They can often be unaware of how much input you want from them, and you can sometimes feel as though you’re completely interrupting their workout (even though it’s likely to be more than okay with them). Going to the gym with one of your friends each day guarantees having a spotter. As you workout together all of the time, you begin to understand how much input you want from one another and when you can encourage a few more reps.This makes your workouts so much more fulfilling and a lot safer.
3: You’ll try out new exercises
Ever found that you tend to do the same exercises each week? It’s often difficult to get out of a routine that you’re comfortable with and has proved good results in the past. Going to the Gyms in Cumming GA with one of your friends often gives you a great opportunity to try out new exercises – whether they already do them as part of their standard routine or something that you’ve both been wanting to try but never got around to it.
4: You’ll have more fun
Bit of an obvious one, but hanging out with one of your mates at the Gyms in Yorba Linda is clearly going to make it more fun. Just make sure you don’t just stand around chatting for an hour!
5: There’s no harm in a little healthy competition
This tie in with the first point – you’ll feel more motivated. When your friend starts making great headway towards their fitness goals – you’ll naturally feel inspired to do the same. You should never be down heartened if they’re reaching their goals faster than you. Everyone progresses at their own pace, and you’ll get there eventually!
