The first month of the year has flown by already, and before we know it we’ll be getting ready to open our doors to our new studios in New Zealand. We’re excited for a lot of reasons – to help you achieve your fitness and wellbeing goals, to introduce you to our OYF speciality classes such as Hot 20/20/20, and to help you find your new favorite workout routine. While working out is always a priority in our studios, another part of our studios we can’t wait to share with you is our community. Aside from our classes, our community is one of the most important parts of our OYF Infrared Yoga & Fitness studios.
Why We Value Community
Our community at our studios is what we know makes us different from your other workout options. We know in todays day and age there are an almost overwhelming amount of choices for how to get in your daily movement – many of them free and in the comfort of your own home. A prime reason our members choos to come into the studio and commit to our classes is because the community you’ll find in the studio adds something important to their lives. We all need other people, whether it be friends, family, mentors, or support systems. And time after time, we’ve seen our members find and connect with those people in our studios.
Why We All Need Community
If you’re someone who joins workout classes and other group activities thinking they’ll be the perfect place to make friends but rarely find yourself actually feeling a part of the community around you, you’re not alone. Making friends is often easier said than done. A recent study suggests around 45% of people self report having trouble making friends. In fact, a Gallup poll found almost a quarter of adults would consider themselves to be lonely. But we all need community around us. There isn’t a perfect number of friends to ensure our happiness, but the strength of our relationships does correlate to our happiness. These days, it often feels like we’re all short on time, so why not combine the benefits of working out and finding one community?
Community & Workout Progress
If your general wellbeing isn’t enough to convince you of the importance of community, or if you already have a solid community outside of your workout studio, there’s still another reason it’s helpful to workout with community. Working out with community to keep you accountable can keep you progressing faster and further toward your workout goals. As explained by NBC News, research suggests our exercise behaviors are impacted by the behaviors of those around us. It follows then that if we surround ourselves by likeminded people motivated to achieve their workout and fitness goals, we will be inspired by the hardwork and effort they are putting in. You may even choose to more formally choose an accountability buddy to work with to achieve these goals or to participate in one of our challenges or activities that are designed to keep you accountable to your goals.
How to Lean In
Like in any relationship, you get out what you put into our community. If you’re on the search for an accountability partner, why not ask one of our team members who they might be a good fit for your goals? The more consistently you come, the more likely you’ll get to know the people in the classes around you. But following that, join in on challenges, try new classes, and say hi to the people working out around you. Watch out for events and upcoming opportunities and take advantage of every chance to get involved. But above all else, the most important step towards joining our community is coming in to the studio, and we’re excited to welcome you in!