This year's Men's Health Week theme is all about the Man MOT. Giving your body a full service is crucial to ensuring you're in tip top condition.
Though great health doesn't just mean an adequately pumping ticker and a decent set of guns. Feeling well is about the body... and the mind.
It can be tough for men to find ways to voice their issues for fear of humiliation in the locker room, or damaging that finely tuned alpha male rep. But there are no judgements here. We're all about ensuring our male members feel positively charged and mentally healthy. So, if you're in need of a little added mental wellness, or simply some male motivation, we've outlined a few ways to get support from your social society...
Put Yourself In The Social Scene
Hectic working schedules and social commitments make it hard to cram a gym session into your day, leaving you sweating it out solo in the evening or getting an uber early jumpstart with a workout before sunrise. Working out alone doesn't have feel lonely! So time your workouts to satisfy your social needs!
Book a class along with your fellow early birds for some cardio and camaraderie to kick start your day.
Workout at lunchtime and enjoy our member's social scene with a post-workout bite or a sip on something chilled with your gym buddies before heading back to the grind.
Get to know the movements of others on the gym floor and time your workouts with others, for that motivational buzz of smashing your gym sesh amongst your fellow male members.
Buddy Up
Research suggests that working out with a friend could boost your workout intensity and duration by up to 200%. It also makes it much harder to shrug off the gym in favour of an afternoon tipple.
Working out with a buddy is a great way to push past a plateau, inject a little more fun into your workout, plus. who doesn't love a spotter on the reps?
Bring a buddy to come along and workout with you and offer some motivational support. If they join, we'll not only treat you to a gift, but you'll have a regular gym buddy to keep you feeling on top form!
Shout For Support
It’s often difficult to keep yourself motivated, which is why many of our male members seek the support of our expert Personal Trainers. Because we don't expect you to know everything about exercise... that's our job!
From weight loss to muscle building, our Personal Trainers know which exercises work best for your personal goals. They'll drill down into exactly which moves you need to master and offer tips on the best technique for maximum effect.
Increase the efficiency of your gym sessions and maximise your workout time with one of our expert Personal Trainers. Contact your local club to find out more about Personal Training sessions.
Pump Up Your Performance
Pounding the treadmill alone can be tedious, and quickly lead us to jump off a little earlier than we would in the presence of a friend. Likewise, we’re more likely to perform a few extra reps when we have our bestie beside us.
“We found that when you’re performing with someone who you perceive as a little better than you, you tend to give more effort than you normally would alone,” (Brandon Irwin, Kansas State University)
Studies have shown that exercising with a friend can also increase calories burned by up to 25%.
Add a little healthy competition into your workout and you’re less likely to call time on it early, or put in a below par session. The motivation that comes from having a fitness friend pushes us to go that bit further, with the average workout with friends lasting for 44 minutes, compared to a solo session at 38 minutes.
The Ideal Influencer
According to personal trainer and Men’s Health contributor Scott Baptie, having someone to train with can offer a 176% greater chance of transforming your body.
A social support network increases your chance of reaching your goal, as we look up to those with the physique, stamina or strength we want to achieve for yourselves, and work harder to get there. This added motivation leads to more commitment, and better results in the transformation stakes.
