How Can an Accountability Partner Help Me?

Setting goals to do what’s best for our bodies is a priority for most. Taking a pilates class or working one on one with your pilates instructor has become a favorite method to do this. But sticking to a program and being consistent can be a struggle. Getting an accountability partner is one of the best ways to ensure your fitness success.

An accountability partner will help you stay motivated, inspired, and on track to remain consistent and meet your goals. An accountability partner is someone you will check in with and engage in conversation with to discuss your success and struggles.

There are many benefits to having an accountability partner. Read on to learn the benefits and how to gain an advantage in staying faithful to your workouts.

Why Do I Need a Pilates Partner?

Your hard work and discipline will determine your outcome – regardless of what you do.

Your accountability partner can encourage you to do the work necessary to reach your goals. And sometimes, it’s precisely what you need to stay committed.

Studies show you are:

65% more likely to stick to your exercise goals if you work with a partner and
95% will achieve success compared to those who work out on their own.

Getting started with a partner is simple. Share your goal and your motivation for attending a class or practicing pilates at home on your own. Because when you share with others, you’ve taken the first step to putting your goal out there in the universe.

Doing Pilates as a family keeps everyone accountable!

A great way to give this a try is to invite your friend to be your partner for a class and make a private session with your instructor a duet.

Partner Pilates

Practicing partner pilates is a great way to work on cooperation and intrapersonal communication. Whereas one

may be assertive, the other may be more passive. But while participating with a partner, both will need to give control and take control.

Each will need to be tuned in to the other which can range from gentle and centering to acrobatic and demanding. Both benefit from strengthening and stretching, as well as laughter and fun too.

Some great partner work may include:

Connecting the Spines
Saw/Twist-Back
Double Leg Stretch
Elephant/Handstand

Book a class with your friend to experience how your relationship can take on a whole new level of fun.

Benefits of An Accountability Partner

There are days you are fired up and can’t wait to get to the gym or studio to work out. And then there are the other days. You’re exhausted and sore from a previous workout and quickly find an excuse not to go. Or the day got the best of you, you’re struggling mentally, and the thought of working out seems like another chore.

This is where your accountability partner comes in. Some specific ways your accountability partner benefits you are when they:

Remind you of your goals.
Help motivate you to stay consistent.
Help you strategize and put a plan in place for you to follow – whether that’s to attend a class or private session one or several times a week.
Serve as an outside observer and monitor your progress – when both you and your partner are attending a session together, you can witness progress as it happens.
Encourage you to continue improving – before, during, and after class.

One of the best parts of having an accountability partner is enjoying the workout more than before. When you have someone to look forward to going to the studio or gym with, it’s an opportunity to connect and have some fun while boosting your happy hormones at the same time.

Like many, you may experience some hesitation or stress getting out the door or finding the time to go in the first place – especially if you are starting, relatively new, or getting back into your exercise routine.

And that’s when your partner can run interference and provide additional support when necessary. They can make the experience less stressful and help keep any anxiety in check.

Imagine taking your pilates class with someone you know and trust. Book a class with your accountability partner and see for yourself how they can help you stay committed.

Father daughter duet comes 2x/week and stays in shape together!

What Makes a Good Accountability Partner?

There are different ways someone can help you be accountable for your workouts. To make the most out of the relationship between the two of you, be willing to

Not just measure but report progress.
Call out if one slides off track.
Agree to accept ownership for the feedback received.

One word of caution when choosing an accountability partner, avoid selecting friends. Of course, we have friends for different reasons. But having them be responsible for pushing you and holding you accountable may strain the relationship.

On the flip side, however, it’s a lot harder to let down or disappoint someone when you have a personal relationship with them. Ultimately, it’s up to you who you choose.

Because what’s most important is choosing someone you trust and don’t mind being open with. Find someone you know will encourage you to keep going and not be afraid to push you.

You absolutely owe it to yourself to find someone that will keep you on track and in a position to reach your goals.

How Do You Keep Each Other Accountable?

When you create a workout plan or schedule with your partner, it’s best to include a method of checking in with one another. Consistency and reliability in sticking to your fitness plan are essential.

How you decide to check in is up to you. But some ways you can do so are to:

Meet before or after class to share progress and set goals.
During the class or private session, create a signal to determine progress – doing good, struggling a lot, needing a pep talk, and so on.
Create a chat – either a text chat or an app chat – to connect and discuss how you are doing, what you need help with, request a pep talk, etc.

It does not matter the method you use, just that you have a way to check in and discuss your progress.

Some questions to consider while monitoring your progress together:

How are your results trending?
If you are struggling to progress, what seems to be troubling you and why?
Should shorter or smaller goals be made and tracked?
Can you identify any triggers or patterns that may be holding you back?

Can I Be My Accountability Partner?

The idea of working out, much less working out with an accountability partner, may create hesitation and stress for some. These two things can keep you from achieving your fitness goals. Not ideal and definitely not something you want to happen.

That’s where a fitness app comes in. Some fitness apps you may consider to track your progress and keep you accountable include:

MyFitnessPal
Fitnet
Google Fit
Nike+
Apple Fitness+

Some apps have features for you to connect with others to stay accountable. And most have analytics that can help you track your goals.

For those looking to make the most of having an accountability system for their workouts, an actual accountability partner and a fitness app would be best to stay on track and motivated.

Conclusion

You are twice as likely to stay committed to your workouts if you do so with an accountability partner. A one-on-one connection is also vital to staying consistent in your exercise expectations.

Whether you choose an accountability partner, an app to track progress, or both, the goal is to keep going and keep working toward your goals.

Book a class now with your friend and find out just how rewarding your accountability partner will be to your overall success /https://fairfaxpilates.com/contact/