How To Motivate A Friend to Start a Mountain Fitness Program

Alright, MTNTOUGH'ers. One of the questions we want to answer is "How do I motivate a friend to kind of get off the couch and get into the workout mode and get into the gym and start working out with me?"

There are lots of lessons I've learned with this in the long run and we'll tell some stories here as we go. Then maybe you can share it with them. Feel free to use anything you learned from here, but one of the things I've learned is, you know in some cases there are some folks that you know, you really can't push off the couch. You've got to give them time to figure it out on their own. Your best, your best offense in this is your own example and the difference it makes in your life.

The other thing where getting somebody off the couch is really encouraging them versus motivating them because one of the hard parts is they're already feeling intimidated.

They probably feel a little bit uncomfortable going into the gym with you anyway, especially if they're in there before and gotten out of shape.

So one of the techniques I like to use is finding their pain points and then don't push them too hard, don't nag at them, but help them understand that you're going to do it with them and it's you want a partner, help them do it for you and get them to see that it's going to be a great blessing or a lot of fun if you're two of you do it together.

I had a buddy of mine and we used to train together all the time. All of you have them and we had two of us actually three altogether and it was amazing because he was really good at the endurance piece, especially cardio, but he was good at endurance overall. I was better at the strength than he was and we would kind of push each other all the time.

But it was very funny because on the track he would run one step ahead of me all the time and it had me slinging snot every week on the track because he could outpace me.

Although I could run okay, he could outpace me now, distance me all he wanted, but he'd run one step ahead of me and just trash me every time. And then we'll get to the gym and it would be the opposite and we'd do endurance work or whatever in there, because I was stronger, I would always go one rep in front of him and it would drive him crazy because he would crash before I did.

And he'd make us keep redoing stuff until he could beat me and eventually I just let him beat me.

So it's a lot of fun having a partner, help them understand through stories like that, how much fun they'll have with you.

Understand folks that are struggling to get in the gym, you got to give them some small victories.

So don't make them bite. Just don't make them swallow the whale all at once. Don't get them in there, crush them in the first three days and expect them to want to come back. Work them hard, but give them some victories. Help them beat you in some areas. Help them see success, help them taste success, give them small bites, give them a Mountain Tough workout but modify it so that they can finish it but be really hurting. But then they don't feel like they couldn't do it. That's how you motivate, guys. You've got to give him some failure but you also got to give them some victories, small victories.

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And another key thing is give them an opportunity to test something.

Do something in the beginning, like the 22s, that they struggle with. Work with them for a while. Let them do the 22s again and they're going to see that they did it well. But little by little you got to kind of encourage them that this will be a lot of fun and sneak your way into it, and help them see that they're doing it for you as much as for them because you want somebody to work out with and you want to spend time with them. At least that's been my 2 cents.

If I nag somebody, get off the couch... And I've tried it with roommates, I've tried it with family. And you know what? The nagging doesn't work no matter what I do, that doesn't work. So I just got to inspire them.

And if I do it for me, sometimes they'll do it just to keep me company. And little by little, it grows from there. Find the technique, MTNTOUGH'ers.

Keep working it quietly.

But remember something with a lot of personalities, you've pushed them too hard, they're going the other way on purpose. So don't nag them.

Encourage them, inspire them, let them see it in you. And as they see in you, give them a taste of what you've already tasted. And believe me, one day they'll get off the couch and you'll find them standing next to you.

Good luck with this one, MTNTOUGH'ers. Let us know how it goes.

I want to hear your stories. 

If you and your buddy are wanting to push yourselves this offseason...

The Backcountry Hunter Postseason program is different, it is designed to build the optimal athlete. Making you as powerful, as strong, and as functional as you can be. It is really about developing an all-around & unstoppable backcountry hunter.

MTNTOUGH’ers know that hunting is a lifestyle.  It’s an all year thing. They know that winter is not a time to take your foot off the gas… it’s the BEST time to get stronger for next hunting season.

But you have to train differently in the postseason than you would in the summer.

That’s why we’ve built and tested the MTNTOUGH Backcountry Hunter Postseason Program. 

If you're interested in learning more, or diving in and getting to work --> click here <--