WAC Magazine

JANUARY 2014

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Getting Fit By Megan Usui, Fitness Manager Driving competition Challenge yourself by working out with others Will Whatley sketches out one of the high-intensity workouts that will be part of our new Xcelerate group training series starting in February. For details on Xcelerate times and days, see Winter Athletic Schedule on page 56. T invariably work harder than those who workout one-on-one. "My clients who train in pairs or trios work harder without a doubt," WAC trainer Will Whatley says. "There's a lot less chatter and a lot more sweat." Will will be teaching a new series of classes starting in February that takes small group training to a new level. The high-intensity series—called Xcelerate— will involve rotating workouts that move members quickly through a variety of exercises and drive the kind of friendly competition that helps everyone excel. Members who sign up for Xcelerate will also have their progress tracked so they can return to past workouts and gauge their improvement through time. As we've seen from our fitness challenges, members work hard to beat their personal bests. You can do this at home, too. Test yourself in several fitness areas and post the results on your fridge or, better yet, on your Facebook page. Invite some friends to do the same. Tell everyone they have to do the same series of exercises in 30 days and post the results again. The results will blow you away. L U K E R U TA N ( 2 ) ake a minute and count how many sit-ups you can do in 60 seconds. If you were in a room with three of your college buddies, do you think you could do a few more? You bet you could! Ask any sports psychologist and they will talk about the benefits of social facilitation—the tendency to perform simple tasks better when watched rather than alone. A good spy will tell you that when I workout solo, my pace is slothlike. Fifteen reps turn into five. I chat with others. I take long breaks in between sets. I throw in the towel 15 minutes early. This is why I hardly ever workout by myself. Social facilitation definitely keeps me in better shape. A friend invited me to run a 5K last summer—no pressure, easy pace. We were leisurely talking and jogging until we saw the finish line. A dad pushing his kid in a stroller was about 10 yards ahead of us. My friend and I looked at each other and said, "Beat the stroller dad!" We sprinted to the finish. Put me in a room with others, and I will fight to be ahead of the pack. WAC members by and large are fun, spirited folk with a good dose of competitive fire. Members who do semiprivate training 26 | Washington Athletic Club Magazine | JANUARY 2014

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