You have probably heard that exercising with a companion is a major key to success in weight loss or fitness: it’s also the basis of my profession as a personal trainer!
Early this morning, under a beautiful blue sky eerily free of planes courtesy of the Icelandic volcano, I observed just how many joggers in Battersea Park were accompanied by a friend or partner.
However, it can be a frustrating experience if you are significantly less fit than your friend.
There is also a real risk of injury. Again, this morning, I watched two men in their 50s jogging along. One was leading the way with his friend trying to keep up, clearly struggling and, I noticed, with one knee wrapped.
They may have the best of intentions, but different people experience stresses on the body in different ways, especially if their body ha not adapted to exercise.
If you are an exercise ingénue, don’t feel that you ought to keep up with your fit friend even if he or she is the same age or has a similar sedentary job.
Start small and listen to your body – not theirs. If you are going running together, agree on a route so that if you fall by the wayside your friend can swing by and pick you up on the way home or you can meet her further along the route.
