Are you a person who has trouble sticking to an exercise routine? If so, you’re not alone. Why not consider starting an exercise group in your apartment community? Working out with other people might help you meet your fitness goals.
When it comes to exercise, two (or more) heads really are better than one. And there’s scientific proof — according to a study by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, exercising with friends helps people lose more weight because they feel more motivation than when they go it alone.
If you live in an apartment community, you’re in the perfect environment to take advantage of this group exercise effect. This guide will show you how to start an apartment exercise group and enjoy reaching your fitness goals with like-minded individuals.
Get organized
Recruiting your neighbors to join an exercise group is easy. If you live in a small apartment community, it’s as simple as personally inviting everyone to join. In larger communities, posting fliers, placing an announcement in the apartment newsletter, or having apartment management send out an e-mail on your behalf might be good ways to publicize a group.
When you create an announcement, include details that define what an apartment exercise group is. Let your neighbors know when and where the group will meet, what its goals will be, and how they can contact you. You don’t want to attract hardcore marathon runners if you’re only looking to do low-impact exercise, so make sure you provide enough details to let your neighbors know if the exercise group is a good fit for them.
Start exercising together
There are many ways that your exercise group can get in shape. Here are some good group fitness ideas:
- Walking or running together
- Group weight training sessions in the apartment community gym
- Ultimate Frisbee games on apartment community grounds or at a nearby park
- Water aerobics at the pool
- Exercising to fitness DVDs in the apartment community event room
- Group trips to a local fitness boot camp
Your workouts do not have to require equipment or gym memberships to be effective. Just walking for exercise — even at a nearby park or mall — can be one of the best ways to improve your health.
If you have group members who do not mind contributing funds, another option would be to hire a trainer to come to your apartment community. Personal training sessions are affordable when the cost is shared, and a certified trainer can provide the whole group with challenging activities.
Keep it friendly
The most effective exercise groups are friendly, not competitive. While it may be natural to feel like you want to one-up your fitness buddies, maintaining a positive attitude in the group is essential to keep everyone feeling supported and encouraged.
One way to keep the mood light and encourage a supportive environment in your apartment exercise group is by holding periodic fitness activities that would appeal to everyone. Challenge ideas might include activities like:
- A nature hike scavenger hunt
- An obstacle course
- A canoe trip down the nearest river
- Participating in a charity walk or run
These kinds of outdoor activities encourage group members to work together and form bonds. If the activities are family-friendly, you might even be able to involve entire families.
Stay on track
After exercising together for a few weeks, group members are likely to form friendships. While it’s great to make buddies with your neighbors, it can be tempting to take too much time away from exercise to gossip. That’s where your role as exercise group leader comes into play. If idle chit-chat takes the focus off of fitness, it’s up to you to steer the group back towards fitness goals so that an exercise group doesn’t turn merely into a social club.
That said, the role of apartment community exercise group leader doesn’t have to be time-consuming. As the leader, you simply have to make sure that the group continues to meet its goals. You might even want to share leadership duties with others so that the burden does not become too big for any one person. With fitness as the focus, your whole group is bound to succeed!
