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Exercising with a friend or loved one can make it more fun, and increase your chances of sticking to your exercise plan. —Better Health Channel

Company for exercise is good

By Roger Childs

It’s always a nice sight, seeing young mothers pushing strollers, sometimes on the run, with the dog in tow. Then there are fathers running, with a son or daughter following or leading, on a bike. And sometimes you spot whole families biking on the roads, footpaths or expressway tracks.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAMost people do their exercise with others. If you don’t, see if you can get family, neighbours or friends to join you. Chatting as you walk, run or bike is great, and it’s amazing how many personal, local, national and international problems you can solve! 

Eight advantages of exercising with other people

  • It’s more fun getting out with a friend – a good chance to do two things at once: exercise and chat.
  • You can build new friendships.
  • You’re more likely to stick to your fitness programme.
  • The time seems to pass more quickly as you enjoy the pleasant company of others.
  • You’re more likely to achieve your goals.
  • You’ll work harder with someone else around, especially if they are fitter than you.
  • Your friend/group may have new exercise ideas.
  • It may be safer to exercise with someone else.

IMG_0951Join a group

There are plenty of exercise groups in the Kapiti area and elsewhere round the nation. 

If you are a walker, and want to find out about groups in your district, track down a copy of Walking New Zealand. (Most libraries stock the magazine.) Near the back of the magazine there is a section called  There’s a Walking group near you. In the Kapiti district there are eight listed covering most days of the week.

The Kapiti Joggers and Walkers operate on Sundays at 8.15 am somewhere between Otaki and Plimmerton. (See their website: www.kapitijoggersandwalkers.org.nz )

If biking is your thing, make inquiries with the Council or hail down a group you might come across as you’re out riding. You could check out  https://www.kapiticyclingclub.co.nz/ or https://www.facebook.com/kapitikruzers/

One thing that many biking and other groups do when they’re out, is to have a coffee+ at one of the many excellent cafés in the area. After, or near the end, of the exercise of course!

There are also plenty of other fitness groups around as well, such as

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The gym option

As you get fitter, joining a gym is a good scheme.

There is no competition there and you can do your own thing, take classes and/or get assistance from a personal trainer.

 (More on gyms in the next article.)