All of the consistent exercisers I know - and I know a lot of them - are members of some type of exercise group.  Don’t get me wrong. Some of them definitely like to exercise alone and some of them always exercise in a group, but ALL of them have buddies who also exercise.

 

A STRONG Group is made up of two or more people with a common fitness goal who provide one another with encouragement, competition, and solidarity.

 

While the structure and size of STRONG groups can vary wildly, there are three basic types.

Organized STRONG Groups

This is the obvious one.  These are groups that meet regularly and follow a plan.  Examples include running groups, basketball leagues, and group fitness classes.  My personal favorite is my own STRONG Group, CAMPSTRONG; which is a small group training program that meets throughout the summer at the Bridgeport City Park and is lead by certified fitness instructors.

 

Semi-Organized STRONG Groups

While these groups aren’t quite as structured as organized groups, they still consist of people who get together on a fairly regular basis to exercise.  One example might be running partners who get together once or twice per week based on their schedules to train for a race.  One group of ladies I know, get together almost daily at the YMCA and take turns planning the workout.  While they’re not paying to be a member of structured group, they’re definitely providing encouragement and accountability for each other.

 

Non-Organized STRONG Groups

These are groups of exercisers who don’t actually exercise together, but love to talk about fitness.  It could be a group of workers that talk about their morning workouts at the water cooler or a group of moms that rehash their weekend long runs at playgroup.  Non-organized groups are perfect for exercise loners or people with very unpredictable schedules. 

 

If you want to reap the benefits of consistent exercise, find a STRONG Group and get started.  Chances are…you’ll never stop.

 

Until Next Week,
Emily Stapleton