Having a workout partner is a good way to help you stick to an exercise program. A new Web site is helping get people teamed-up in the gym.
For years, working out had been a low priority for Paul Leury and Alan White.
White says, "I’ve always found it more helpful to have somebody to work out with. And of course, not knowing a whole lot of people in Austin, it was difficult to find a workout partner right away.”
So Alan turned to the Internet and a Web site called exercisefriends.com.
“I was actually able to find Paul within about a week of signing up,” he says.
Now Alan has an exercise partner and meets Paul weekly to play racquetball and lift weights.
Exercisefriends.com is a new site dedicated to matching up exercise partners all over the U.S.
Patrick McCluskey launched the site about a year ago when he couldn’t find an exercise partner.
McCluskey says, "I realized I could find a car, a house, I could even find a wife online. But I couldn’t find an exercise friend.”
Signing up is easy. You fill out a membership profile and list the athletic activities in which you’re interested. The Web site takes that information and matches you with compatible workout partners based in your area. But Patrick is quick to point out that the website isn't a dating service.
He says, "You can’t find somebody to go to dinner with, and you can’t find somebody to go to a movie with. You can choose running, hiking, we even have snow shoeing. We’ve got sports that I’ve never heard of but they’re sports that our members have asked for.”
So far, tens of thousands of members have signed up across the country. The service is free and users don’t have to reveal any personal information online.
Supplemental Information
Fast Facts
More than 60 percent of Americans don’t get the recommended 30 minutes a day of physical activity. About 25 percent don’t exercise at all.
Exercising with a friend is highly motivating and increases the chance of sticking to a workout.
Exercisefriends.com uses the web to bring together people with similar exercise interests who want to find an exercise buddy in their area.
The Importance of Exercise
Health experts say adults should get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity a day for most days of the week. Exercise has many important health benefits. Regular physical activity burns calories and can help a person lose or maintain weight. It helps the heart and lungs work more efficiently and improves cardiovascular fitness. It can build muscle and increase stamina.
Exercise also decreases the risk of several chronic health problems. People who participate in regular physical activity are at lower risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and certain types of cancer. In addition, exercise promotes a positive outlook, higher levels of self-esteem and better self-confidence. Exercise also reduces stress and improves sleep.
Getting Into Exercise
Despite the importance of exercise, many Americans lead a sedentary life. According the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, more than 60 percent of adults don’t get the recommended level of activity and 25 percent aren’t active at all.
Motivation plays an important role in the willingness to start or keep up with an exercise program. One way to build enthusiasm for exercise is to work out with a friend. An exercise buddy provides positive support and can help head off those excuses to skip a planned activity.
Sometimes a person can link up with an exercise partner through clubs or gyms. But if you prefer outdoor activities, or are new to an area (or just want to try something new), it can be difficult to find someone with the same interests.
A new website is helping to match people with similar exercise interests and find an activity partner. It’s called Exercisefriends.com.
Patrick McCluskey, who stopped exercising when he lost his own workout buddy, developed the website. He realized he needed to find another partner and thought the web would offer a unique method of bringing people with similar exercise interests together.
To access the service, a registered user types in his/her zip code. The search can be tailored to match a preferred age group, sex, fitness level and activity or sport. Once a match is found, the user submits an e-mail address. ExerciseFriends contacts the other person to let them know of the interest. It is then up to the two users to make arrangements to meet and work out an agreeable schedule.
ExerciseFriends was started in September 2004 and now has users registered in every state of the U.S. and some parts of Canada and Europe. More than 100 different activities are listed on the website and others will be added if interest is indicated. The service is free to users (it is supported by advertisements). McCluskey warns the website is not a dating service and people shouldn’t have those kinds of expectations when selecting an exercise partner.
Web Resources
American Council on Exercise Web site
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site
The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Web site
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