Kristen Bell and Hayden Panettiere: Workout Buddies

Kristen Bell and Hayden Panettiere coming back from the gym.

One thing I tell my clients all the time is that I don't believe in will power.

And I only halfway believe in discipline.

More often than not, will power will fail.

There are two important ingredients for consistency:

1.) Structure

2.) Habit

And they are created in that order.

It takes a long time to cement a habit.

You can create a structure right now.

Structure is the beginning

A structure is anything outside of you that supports you in taking the right actions to achieve your goal.

A food log is a structure.

Weight Watchers meetings are a structure.

A sports team is a structure.

A coach is a structure.

Having a workout partner is a structure.

Workout Partners

Having a workout partner is one of the best structures you can put in place.

Any time someone else is relying on you, you're likely to make it happen.

It's a strong commitment that you've made to someone else - that you each are supporting each other in each other's fitness.

It sucks, but we're more likely to break a commitment to ourselves than one we've made to someone else.

We're more likely to follow through on our food plan when we've got a workout partner.

I would go so far as to say that having someone else involved in your goals is the most important ingredient.

If you've ever heard that "90% of success is just showing up", you get how important it is to have a commitment to someone else that you're going to show up.

What Does This Have To Do With Kristen Bell and Hayden Panettiere?

Everything.

It's no surprise that two of the fittest girls in Hollywood are working out together.

Success leaves clues. 

Wouldn't you want to workout with them?  Eat with them?  Even hear how they talk about fitness?

Wouldn't it be interesting to see how differently they treat their fitness than the out of shape people we all know?

They have a different level of fitness because they treat their fitness differently.  And the people they workout with, and the people they hang out with treat their fitness level differently. 

I've seen three different "Fittest Bodies in Hollywood" articles, and all of them had Hayden Panettiere on the cover.

Hayden has a trainer and a workout partner.  How many people do you have on your "fitness team"?

And everyone is talking about Kristin Bell's abs in her current movie Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

Why we can't forget Sarah Marshall.

If you've ever played a sport and there was someone on your team that was right at your ability level and you pushed each other, then you know how powerful it can be to have a workout partner.

Who you are hanging around is a very powerful influence on how you work out, and how you eat.

Pull up a chair, it's story time

I started my athletic career as a way too skinny, gangly, uncoordinated and shy 13 year old.  I joined the Cross Country Team and the Track Team because I didn't have the coordination to do anything else.

I probably had the least natural talent of anyone on the team.  I lost every race I ran my first year.

But running with those champions, I was elevated.  I improved every single race.  While everyone else was winning races, I was winning awards like "Most Improved", every single year. 

I ended up being second man on a Cross Country team that won three league championships, county championships and CIF Championships.  In track I ran a 4:22 mile at CIF Finals.

I'm 100% clear that I wouldn't have gotten anywhere near that level without the guys I was running with.  Three years of working out with and hanging around with really kick ass runners elevated me to being a kick ass runner.

Three Tips About Getting the Right Workout Parnter:

1.) Your workout partner should add motivation and accountability.

Your workout partner shouldn't let you off the hook if you want to skip a workout.

If your workout partner becomes an excuse to miss workouts, fire them.  If your workout partner gives you an excuse to eat crap, fire them.

2.) Your workout partner should support you.

Your workout partner should have a positive impact on you.  They shouldn't make you wrong or make you feel bad.   

If you are both motivated by competition, then compete.  If you are de-motivated by competition, don't compete.  Either way is awesome, but know what works for you.

3.) Your workout partner should call out the best in you.

In a perfect world, everything your workout partner does is about holding you to your goal.  And your goal is the expression of yourself that you want to present to the world.  So really, your workout partner is holding you to be who you really are.

How To Find A Good Workout Partner

Be a good workout partner.

You don't get what you want.  You get what you are.

If you are is a really good workout partner, it will be that much easier for you to find someone who matches that.

And if you're really struggling to find a good workout partner, just hire one - get a really good personal trainer.

You Can Fly With Eagles Or....

It's no surprise that two of the fittest girls in the world are working out together.

Take a look at who you've got around you and their impact on your fitness.

Start to build yourself a fitness team. 

Find yourself a workout partner who wants it as much as you do.

And then have fun!  It's way more fun when you and your friends can do this together.

By Josh Hillis

Author of How To Lose The Stubborn Seven Pounds

Josh is currently finishing up his second book Fighter Workouts for Fat Loss

Josh is a fat loss expert, a kettlebell instructor and master personal trainer in Denver, Colorado.  Josh helps women and men lose stubborn fat.

© Joshua Hillis 2008

Comments

[Sonja Wieck]

Awesome Post Josh!
I second the cross country portion, running with awesome guys and girls gave me that push and accountability.
Now as an adult you have to work quite a bit harder to get what we had then!
Training partners rock!

[Josh Hillis]

Hey Sonja!

That's so cool you are still running!

And the Escape from Alcatraz triathalon is so hard core!

[Danny John]

Excellent...as always.

I really look forward to these bits each time, Joshua.

This one is just dead on...

[Josh Hillis]

Thanks Dan!

It's so cool hearing that from you.

On top of that, I really look up to you, actually everyone in the strength training world looks up to you, and the articles you write are always amazing.

So it really means a lot that you like my articles.

[Fitlady]

Perfect article. You can acheive anything that you would like if you put your mind to it!!!! Good Luck:) Tracey

[Stephanie]

Great post, as always! I was so excited to see an article about my 3 of my 4 favorite things! Fitness, Kristen and Hayden!! (the 4th being Jessica Biel, but you already covered her fitness routine!)

What you say is so so true. My husband and personal trainer are my fitness team, and while I rely a lot on myself to push to the finish, I'd never get as far if I didn't have people rooting me on and supporting me.

Thanks for the great read!!

[Candice]

Hi Josh, I found your site last week and I am LOVING it. I got your Stubborn7 book and I love that too. I know this article is about teamwork, but you mentioned all the running, and well I have a dilemma involving running I hope you can address. I am a mom of 4 in great shape and everyone has been asking how I got my muscles. Of course it is because I ditched the distance-running, ditched the junkfood, and started lifting smarter and heavier, and included hard interval training. The problem is, I signed up for a 1/2 marathon on June 1 as a favor to a friend (duh). I am doing weights 2x per week (similar to your Stubborn 7 workouts), intervals for 20 min. 2x per week, a 6 mile run and a longer and extremely boring run on the weekend. So...how much damage are those 6 and 12 mile runs doing me? My husband and friends think I am a lunatic when I try to tell them distance running is counter-productive to having a great body. I worry because beach season is almost here. Would you change anything in my workout program? Or do I just suffer a few more weeks and then not do any long-distance races as favors to friends anymore!!! Thanks so much.
Candice
PS For mother's day I am getting a kettlebell.

[Josh Hillis]

Hey Stephanie!

I'm glad I got 4 out 4 of your favorite things! Even if it did take me two posts to get 'em all =)

Good job on putting together a good team, and on pushing yourself!

Hi Candice!

That's a great mother's day present!

I wouldn't worry too much about a long run once per week.

While long runs aren't ideal, they aren't the worst thing in the world either.

Two things to watch for:

1.) Watch out to make sure you aren't losing strength on your lifting days, and you'll keep that lean athletic body you've worked so hard for.

2.) Keep an eye on over-use injuries. Monitor how your ankles, knees, and shins are feeling. Also watch to see if you just feel run down. In either case, back off on all your workouts that week.

Then, just try not to suffer too much =) You may find it's a nice change of pace for a little while.

I know I'm always waving the "Don't Run Marathons!" Banner, but you clearly get how training works, you're on the right track, and this is just a little detour.

I'm not worried about you becoming a career marathoner, so just try to have some fun with it.

Trail running is actually the best thing I know for clearing my head. It's outdoors, it's meditative, and I get to jump over rocks and stuff.

[Frank Trane]

Cool site! Been reading for a while researching blog and writing styles for my upcoming blog that answers every gym rat's #1 question,"how to train to be a bodybuilder"? This post made me want to say '2 thumbs up'.

[james burney]

What a fantastic blog. The featured content is very adapt and gives the sense of someone who really knows their stuff about fitness and the positive effects fitness can have on someone's lifestyle. I am new to writing blogs and have taken inspiration from this one in terms of blog layout and content. Thanks James

[MizFit]

fantastic post.

now, to find a hardcore woman weight lifter whole lives nearby....