What I Learned About Working Out and Motivation at The Oh...

What’s Happening

So basically Even though I grew up in the state playing the sport, my time with the Buckeyes reminded me how important having the support of friends and teammates can be for achieving fitness goals.

WHEN I WAS growing up in Ohio, football was a foundational pillar of my identity. I played for 15 years in the state, starting at age 7, through high school, and at Kenyon College (and later I played pro football in Germany). (it feels like chaos)

The sport is essential to the region’s social fabric, from towns rallying on Friday nights to tailgating on Saturdays and Sundays—and there’s no team more important than THE Ohio State University Buckeyes.

The Details

When I visited Columbus to experience the defending champs’ offseason training earlier this summer , I was reminded of a crucial aspect of football culture: building bonds through d sweat. I watched the Buckeyes run and lift across two days in June and witnessed a group of guys focused on getting better, together, in ways that went beyond the sport.

Yes, the players depended on each other practically, for spots on their heavy squats, but also for a deep level of support. It’s a team rule: “If you’re training in the weight room, you’re required to motivate and inspire whoever you’re working out with—and if you’re not, it’s an unsuccessful day,” senior linebacker Sonny Styles told me after a particularly intense Air Bike competition.

Why This Matters

There’s science to back up the benefits of bonding through fitness, from fostering “social support” (the feeling that you can depend on others) to strengthening “exercise identity” (how you think of yourself within a fitness setting) to boosting adherence (the likelihood you’ll keep doing an activity). There’s also the Köhler effect, a phenomenon that indicates that weaker members of a group will try harder and perform better while they’re working together with stronger teammates. But there’s also the satisfaction and fulfillment that come from genuinely helping a buddy out.

Medical professionals are taking note of this development.

The Bottom Line

But there’s also the satisfaction and fulfillment that come from genuinely helping a buddy out. When I think back to how I developed my own workout habits, the strongest memories—for both pounds lifted and the potency of my recollections—are filled with my teammates and friends straining alongside me.

Are you here for this or nah?