Getting Fit Is Uncomfortable at First. It’s Nice Once You’re In.

I’ve spent the last couple of weeks by the coast.

With temperatures in the early 30s, we spent a lot of time getting in and out of the sea. And I noticed something.

There are two types of people getting into cold water.

The first group just go.

They run in, dive under and get the uncomfortable bit over with. Ten seconds later, they’re swimming around wondering what all the fuss was about.

Then there’s the second group.

They paddle. They stop. They wait for a wave. They go up to their knees, change their mind, then creep forward another six inches.

They know they’re going to get in eventually. But instead of accepting a few seconds of discomfort, they manage to turn it into five minutes of discomfort.

The funny thing is, even if they’ve already been in the sea four times that day, they do the same bloody thing every time.

Watching it made me think about the way we approach changing our health.

Because there’s a phrase everyone knows:

It’s nice once you’re in.

Why is starting a fitness routine so difficult?

Starting is uncomfortable.

Joining a gym when you don’t feel fit is uncomfortable. Walking into a room where you don’t know anyone is uncomfortable. Trying exercises you’ve never done before is uncomfortable. Changing routines you’ve had for years is uncomfortable.

That discomfort does not mean you are making the wrong decision. It usually means you are doing something new.

The problem is that we often try to avoid the discomfort of starting. We wait to feel more motivated, less busy or more confident. We tell ourselves we will begin when the timing feels right.

But waiting does not remove the uncomfortable bit. It simply keeps you standing at the water’s edge for longer.

Staying where you are can be uncomfortable too

If you already know you want to feel fitter, stronger and healthier, staying where you are isn’t particularly comfortable either.

That’s the bit we sometimes forget.

You’re already standing on the beach, sweating.

Maybe you’re fed up with feeling unfit. Maybe you’ve noticed you’re not as strong as you used to be. Maybe your energy is crap. Maybe you avoid certain clothes, activities or photos. Maybe you’ve been telling yourself for months that you really need to do something about it.

Doing nothing can feel like the easier option in the moment, but it still comes with a cost.

You can keep standing there thinking about getting in. Or you can get the uncomfortable bit over with and start enjoying what’s on the other side.

Do you need to get fit before joining a gym?

No. You do not need to get fit before joining a gym.

That would be like deciding you need to learn before going to school.

A good gym should meet you where you are. You should be shown what to do, coached at a level that suits you and given enough support to build confidence as you go.

You do not need to know how everything works. You do not need the right kit. You do not need to be able to lift a certain weight or keep up with anyone else.

You just need a sensible place to start.

If not now, when?

September?

After Christmas?

January?

When work calms down?

When you feel a bit fitter before joining the gym? Still one of my favourites.

There will always be a reason to wait. Work gets busy. Family life takes over. Motivation comes and goes. Another week disappears.

At some point, you’ve just got to get in.

A three-week introduction to getting fitter

That’s exactly what our 3-Week Foundations programme is for.

It gives you three weeks to stop thinking about starting and actually start.

You’ll be properly onboarded, train with our coaches three times a week and experience how Gather works without having to make a massive long-term commitment on day one.

Our Small Group Personal Training sessions have a maximum of six people. This means you still receive individual coaching, while training alongside a small group of people who are working on their own goals.

You do not need previous gym experience. You do not need to arrive feeling confident. Helping you build that confidence is part of the programme.

Across the three weeks, we will help you:

• Learn how to train safely and effectively

• Build strength and improve your fitness from your current starting point

• Become more comfortable in the gym

• Create some momentum and consistency

• Work out whether Gather is the right place for you

Gather is a coaching-led gym in North Greenwich for people who don’t like gyms. If big, anonymous gyms have never felt like your thing, you are exactly the sort of person we built it for.

Stop putting it off

If you’ve been thinking, “Yeah, I really should do something”, perhaps this is your nudge.

Find out more about the 3-Week Foundations programme, or book a call with Ian if you’d rather have a chat first.

Stop putting it off.

Stop putting yourself off.

Because sooner or later, you’re getting in the sea. You may as well stop standing at the water’s edge waiting for a wave to hit you in the nuts. Or equivalent.

It really is nice once you’re in.

Ian