Ditch group fitness for solo exercise

Sometimes the best workouts are the solo wolf pack kinds. The ones where it’s just you, against you. Ready for the challenge? Follow my tips on how to introduce a solo workout to your exercise routine.

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ll know I’m a fan of group exercise and lots of my reviews are group workouts. And that’s intentional. Because when you’re trying to establish a habit, like regular exercise, group fitness wins hands down. It provides things like motivation, accountability and a sense of community – all essential ingredients to forming a healthy habit.

Solo workouts on the other hand also have their place. They offer up benefits that I think tackle a deeper subset of the human psyche: self-worth, self-confidence, self-esteem and self-belief.

When you exercise alone you, there’s no-one else in your corner but you, telling yourself to move, holding yourself to account, pushing yourself to go further.  There’s a mental toughness there that draws on a deeper well of grit, determination and in some cases, sheer desperation!

And solo workouts teach you a valuable lesson: you can do it, you’re stronger than you think and (at risk of sounding like a Maybelline ad) you are worth it.

Here are my five tips on how to muster the mindset to go from group to solo exercise.

1. Apply your knowledge – you already have the smarts to put together a solo workout from your group exercise classes. You know how to move your body, you know what muscles you’re working, and you know what you are capable of achieving in 60 minutes.
2. Use your discipline – you’ve already been committing to regular group classes so that dedication is already there. You’re simply changing the focus, and the ‘what’ and ‘where’.
3. Positive self talk – observe the internal chatter that’s going on when you’re getting ready for that solo jog/run, solo swim, solo bike ride, solo weight session. Is it kind? Supportive? Hostile? Mad? Inhale the positive, and exhale out the negative.
4. Dedicate your session – to a person, place or thing. Keep it in the back of your mind as a powerful motivator to keep you going, keep you focused and push you to do your best.
5. Embrace the solo – there’s something about being alone that lets you reflect on the enormity of the world and your place in it. A rare moment of true mindfulness in our otherwise busy, hectic lives.

Like these tips and have others to share? Do post in the comments box below.

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Until next time,
Maryanne K