Staying Motivated with Group Exercise in Retirement
Sometimes in retirement, your bed is just too comfy, the couch is just too convenient, and the reasons to get up and move just aren’t motivating enough.
Group exercise can give you that extra “oomph” you’ll need to stay on track with your fitness goals and maintain an active lifestyle in retirement. Recruit a workout buddy or two, and you could also see a big improvement in these three areas of your wellness.
1. Pump Up Your Social Network
When you leave the workforce, you don’t just leave behind a paycheck. You leave behind a large branch of your social network. Many seniors don’t realize how much they need those casual conversations in the break room or an unexpected problem to solve until those connections are gone. If you aren’t intentional about staying active and making new connections with people, you may be susceptible to isolation, feelings of aimlessness, and even depression.
If you check social media or call up your local senior center, there’s probably a group of can-do retirees in your area who meet for morning walks, bike rides, or pickleball. Being in a group of people who are at the same stage of life that you are, and facing many of the same challenges and opportunities, could spark new friendships and lead you towards new activities and interests.
Or, if you know you can count on your spouse to kick you off the couch, start a new workout routine together. Beginning each day with a stroll through your neighborhood or a game of tennis could add that little bit of structure you both need to start building more active habits alone and together.
2. Strengthen Accountability
It’s easy to give yourself a pass to do nothing when you’re feeling tired, or it’s a little colder outside than you’d like. But most of us feel differently about letting other people down. Not unlike that co-worker you didn’t want to leave hanging with an important deadline approaching, you won’t want to bail on your golf foursome or doubles tennis partner.
Your workout buddies won’t want to let you down either. They’ll also hold you accountable to the schedule you’ve all set together. The coordination and the money you invest in classes, equipment, or reservations can add some buy-in that helps you show up when and where you’re supposed to.
Close friends and family members you exercise with also won’t hesitate to show you some tough love, whether your best friend comes knocking on your door to pick you up for the gym or your spouse slaps your hand when you roll over in bed and reach for the snooze button.
3. Stretch Your Body and Mind
Group exercise classes might seem intimidating. But if you’re picturing “boot camps,” heavy weights, intense repetition, and walls of judging mirrors, there’s probably Something more age-appropriate on your gym’s schedule that could become a favorite new activity. Yoga, tai chi, and aqua aerobics are mainstays at most fitness and community centers these days. Many gyms also have more traditional fitness classes that cater to the needs and abilities of seniors, focusing more on basic strength training, cardio, and mobility. Dance classes can be another heart-healthy way to improve balance and coordination.
And if you’ve never tried any of these exercises before, even better. Learning from a trained professional in a group setting will give your brain a workout, too. You and your workout buddies might also bond over the experience of trying, failing, improving, and growing together.Ultimately, you might decide that you prefer to work out by yourself. But planning for retirement is one exercise that you definitely shouldn’t do solo. Make an appointment to discuss getting your financial plan into shape.
Investment advisory services are offered through Kingsview Wealth Management, LLC (“KWM”), an SEC Registered Investment Adviser. Insurance products and services are offered and sold through Kingsview Insurance Services, LLC (“KIS”), by individually licensed and appointed insurance agents. KWM and KIS are subsidiaries of Kingsview Partners.
