Article by – Chrissy Newall – Owner, Coach and Group Fitness Instructor.
Here’s an interesting thing about exercise. We don’t really have an information problem.
We already know that being active is good for us. We know we should move more, build strength and look after our health. Yet knowing something is good for us and actually doing it consistently are two very different things.
There’s even a name for it in behaviour research: the intention-behaviour gap. We can genuinely intend to exercise, eat better or change a habit, but good intentions don’t always translate into action.
So perhaps the question isn’t, “Do I know what I should be doing?” but “What would help me actually keep doing it?”
One of the answers is support and accountability.
There’s something quite powerful about knowing another person is expecting you. We’re often far better at showing up for someone else than we are at keeping a promise we’ve quietly made to ourselves.
That’s one of the valuable roles a personal trainer can play. Yes, they’re there to plan your training, teach you and help you progress, but they’re also the person who knows your goals, expects to see you and notices when things start slipping.
We’ve seen that with Cinda and her trainer Olena. Over the past year, Cinda has continued working towards new goals, achieving her first pull-up, increasing her Romanian deadlift from 20kg to 70kg and progressing her leg press from 20kg to 60kg.
Those results weren’t about knowing that exercise was good for her. They came from consistently turning up, having support and continuing to work towards the next goal.
Maybe that’s something worth thinking about in your own training.
If you already know what you should be doing but struggle to do it consistently, perhaps you don’t need more information.
Perhaps you need more support.