fitocracy:

Today we’re featuring the very awesome JC Deen of JCDFitness.com with a special article on why community is critical to helping you reach your fitness goals and make real sustainable changes in your life.

JC Deen - Online Fitness Coach

When I was first introduced to Fitocracy, I had no idea what was in store for me. For all I knew, it was another one of the many fitness startups that wanted me to get involved with their site and introduce it to my audience. 

 
I always keep an open mind, but there are just so many places online to hang out – I am very selective where I spend my time so I stay productive and help as many people in the fitness world as I can.
 
Within minutes of my initial contact with Richard Talens, I was on the site creating my account.  Little did I know of the impact it would have on myself, or just how awesome it would be for people around the globe taking charge of their health and fitness.
 
Within the next week, I was sold – I knew there was something going on and I had to slowly figure it out.  I was also addicted to leveling up.

You see, I played my fair share of games growing up, but that wasn’t the reason Fitocracy appealed to me.  No, it was from my past experiences in online forums and social circles that got me hooked.

You see, when my fitness education began, it wasn’t in a classroom, or a weekend seminar.  It was in front of my computer searching incessantly on Google for the latest fitness tips and advice from the pros.  I eventually found a handful of forums where I learned how to train, how to eat, and how to interpret a research paper.  

All of my education (albeit informal) stems mostly from the interwebz and random books I picked up along the way.

Out of everything I’ve learned, one thing has had the most impact.  That’s community.

I’ve succeeded in maintaining an athletic physique, and even a career in the fitness industry all because of the community I’ve surrounded myself with (almost 100% online).

Community Keeps Us In Check
On Fitocracy, the sense of community from the active users is very strong.  The best part about this camaraderie is that a group of people who all have a similar focus, produces a kick-in-the-pants effect, which spurs us all to greater achievement.  In other words, it’s social facilitation in its finest.

I may log in and see John Romaniello, or Roger Lawson leveling up and it makes me want to push it harder during my next session.  So, Roger did 100 total chins in one workout?  Well that makes me want to do 110 the next time I do my pulling session.

John did 10 sprints with 30-second rest periods?  I’ll do 12 sprints with 25-second rest periods tomorrow, and then ping him when I’m done logging and leveling up.  How’s that for competition?

You see what’s going on here?

By surrounding ourselves with others who are pushing for greatness, we’re sucked into it and the chance of being successful dramatically improves.

Community Inspires Creativity
For someone like myself who’s been training for a very long time, I need some variety in my workouts every now and again.  This is why I love the groups on Fitocracy.  They’re always challenging each other to different activities or creating quests.  

When jogging eventually becomes boring, someone in the group will get creative and come up with an idea or quest to change things up and make it more interesting.  Maybe today it will be hill sprints, and tomorrow hiking in the local park?  Who knows – that’s what makes it fun and interesting.

Community Provides Accountability and Encouragement
For some of us – Fitness is a brand new concept.  The user base on Fitocracy spans the board from complete beginner to the most advanced athletes.  We have soccer moms who want to get in shape, and personal trainers like myself who love to interact and meet new people in the fitness space.

For the majority of beginners, we require lots of support and encouragement.  It’s easy to quit when you know no one else embarking on such a journey as you are.  Working out or starting to eat more healthily can seem daunting if we don’t have others to learn from and to encourage us.

A sense of community is EXTREMELY important in our chances to succeed!

When I first started in the fitness world, I knew NO ONE in real life who was into what I was – and that was science-based fitness.  None of my friends were interested in why a certain fat loss diet worked, like I was.  So talking to them about it was like talking to a brick wall – they just didn’t care.

As a result, I had to go where others were gathered who’d help me grow and learn what I wanted to.  It was the only place I could turn and I made it my fitness hub.

By making the decision to become engulfed with such an awesome online community, I’ve continually improved my fitness on the regular.  When I needed support, I knew where to turn – there was no guesswork as to whom I’d turn to.

As a result, I learned more than I could imagine, made some incredible friendships and now have a couch to sleep on in most states and in many countries across the globe.

All because of online fitness community and support systems like Fitocracy.

We could experience success without community, but chances are slim. Fitocracy provides a place for everyone, regardless of experience level or various fitness interests, to succeed in their respective goals.

JC Deen runs JCDFitness.com and is a strength coach out of Nashville, Tennessee.  He’s the author of A No-BS Approach to Looking Great Naked, and a Fitocracy Superhero!

Check out www.fitcoracy.com

It’s awesome.