This week, I would like to share the approach of using other people's commitment to utilize as your own when you yourself can't quite find it in yourself the motivation to follow through on an exercise session as often as you would like to.
Sometimes our own motivation lets us down and we fail to follow through on our fitness plan, but there is a way to leverage the motivation of other people to stay engaged much, much more consistently.
You might know it as accountability.
I'm sure you have heard and read about accountability before and how it can serve as a good source of motivation, but if you have not initiated what it takes to set up an accountability system, it might be because you are unsure what kind accountability would be best suited or you are concerned that having to commit to someone else will act as a source of pressure and will turn you off of working out entirely.
There are a multitude of accountability systems, each with structures that meets different needs, yield different results and provide a different experience.
Accountability can be very a effective tool to have, you just need to know which type of system is right for you.
Here is a list of 4 styles of accountability systems:
1.Personal Attention:
This is good for targeting results in performance and growth, whether it be working out to build more muscle, losing that wait fast or achieving that next level of athleticism.
You can get this kind of support from a personal trainer, a coach or an instructors if you arrange a private session with him or her to help you commit to that fitness goal faster.
2.Community:
This is where you get to engage in the physical activity with a group of people with similar fitness goals. This age old format is powerful. As a group, you can pool together all of your commitment toward exercise and really magnifies. By having a group to engage with, you have a support system that spur one another on, you can learn from a variety of people with a variety of experience levels and its a great way to have that sense of connection that in turn can keep you stay consistent in the long run.
3.Buddy Support:
If you want to generally feel like you own the exercise session, no trainers, no teachers, no coaches or instructors but you feel you still need someone to commit to, then having a friend, a family member or somebody you have trust and rapport with to commit to and workout together is an excellent way to strike that perfect balance between having an independent and self guided exercise session and having access to that much needed motivation in order to sustain that commitment.
4.Check-in:
This is just a variation of the buddy support approach, only with more sense of solitude and independence.
I would recommend this to someone that really likes their alone time or is not too comfortable around others but still needs a push or a nudge to commit.
This consists of relying on regular long distance contact such as texting, email or phone. by having another person there to constantly keep you engaged can be enough even if you are doing it on your own. By still having someone to keep you accountable, it can be just enough to maintain th necessary motivation.
So, that's 4 forms of accountability. 4 ways to leverage the commitment of others as your own.
But, how do you tell which one is right for you?
That is when you need to way up the pros and cons of each one and measure them to your personal needs and personality.
1.Personal Support:
Pros:
-Specifically tailored approach by your trainer or coach designed to get the best results out of you.
-Every session is likely to be intense and push you.
-With a one on one arrangement, you build and develop a strong rapport and understanding of each other. With that, the trainer has a better sense of what your needs are and you develop a strong sense of trust.
-Flexibility of schedules and location. You can even arrange your trainer to come to your house and have a session at home.
Cons:
-It can be daunting to have that kind of personal attention
-There is not the independence that you would have if you trained on your own or even with somebody else where you can suggest or initiate something different in the moment.
-Having a trainer can be costly.
-Having one person to commit their focus on you may not be enough. you might be better motivated by having a group support.
2.Community:
Pros:
-Good source of connection. Get to feel like you are a part of something.
-Get access to a variety of people with a variety of experience.
-This is a lot cheaper than one on one training.
-Having a fixed time and place to be can be effective at keeping you committed and consistent.
-Good support network. Get to spur each other on.
-Get to have the opportunity to help and motivate others as well as attaining it yourself.
cons:
-Schedule and venues may be fixed. Lack of flexibility.
-The benefits to your performance are general rather than specific. This might mean slower progress.
-The session may not be as engaging as you like sometimes. Especially if you have to exercise with people at a lower level than yourself in that session.
-Having a lot of people may be daunting if you are not comfortable around people.
3.Buddy Support:
Pros:
-Having an already established rapport with this person you know and trust.
-Inexpensive.
-More sense of independence. Get to have more say on how to structure the session.
-More freedom and flexibility with schedule and location.
-If you do this mutually, then both you and the other person benefit from this.
-Greater sense of connection than with a trainer by having the sense you are both in the same place, pushing each other
-Greater chance of having engaging and challenging enough sessions.
cons:
-One other person may not have enough sense of community support
-You may not always be there to push each other as much as either one of you needs it.
-You might let each other of the hook a little too easily.
-If you are not both mutual in need of this system,then this arrangement may not last long term.
-If you feel easily pressured by the presence of others, then having anyone there in person may not be encouraging.
4.Check-in:
Pros:
-Total sense of independence as you are doing this absolutely on your own with only a little prompt to motivate you.
-You can put in as much or as little intensity as you are willing to do.
-You get to choose how you do your session.
-inexpensive.
-Near total flexibility with schedule and location.
-More sense of freedom
Cons:
-You are on your own in this process. You don't have anybody in person, engaging motivation and support.
-It may be harder to honor the external prompts authentically.(Are you a cheater?)
-The quality and intensity may be lacking without having someone there to push you.
These are rough lists of pros and cons for accountability system that I could think of the top of my head, but the point is that its these kind of considerations that need to be thought about as each individual is different and therefore responds to different stimuli.
So, whether you choose a one on one format, a group format, the support of a friend or family member by exercising together or a more independent and hands off phone it in approach, be sure to measure your personality, how comfortable you feel around people, both individuals and groups, how you feel about how people pay attention to you and your own needs. What you feel you really and truly need to actually have the motivation to stick with the program.
Inspired by fitness,
Clinton Boucheix
Certified Personal Trainer
Free Exercise Motivation Report
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