My gym time is sacred. The precious hour I carve out of my day feels like a gift to myself — some much-needed space to work on my physical and mental well-being. My low-impact cardio is a moving meditation; my strength training, a sweaty but rewarding routine. As a solo gym-goer, I'm able to lose myself in my gym playlist, center the mind-muscle connection, and focus the way I need to in order to reap the full benefits of my workout. The biggest threat to this carefully curated regimen? Workout buddies. I'll preface by saying I know that workout buddies can be motivating for many people. Research shows that people who work out with others tend to work harder and longer than those who work out solo. I'll also admit that working out with others has helped me overcome gymtimidation and feel more confident trying new things, and it's given me the motivation to push myself further than I would've on my own. But as a whole, I often got less done, and wasn't able to clear my mind in quite the same way. For others, this might not be a total deal-breaker. But as someone who does split squats to the melodies of Sufjan Stevens, I'm in the gym to lock in (and potentially fight some demons). Thankfully, I'm not entirely alone. |
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