By Shannon Del Prince
We’ve all seen them before—the posted stories and videos on Instagram and Facebook showing your peers partaking in squats, push-ups, deadlifts, and a wide variety of other exercises. Some of you may be that person filming yourself—I know I am! There’s nothing wrong with wanting to document your fitness journey and create a visual of your physical progress. Although some people may view this behavior as narcissistic or egotistical, this often isn’t the case. Filming your exercise routine can actually be beneficial for an assortment of reasons.
Reasons People Film Themselves Working Out
There isn’t one straight answer as to why people take videos of themselves while exercising, as every person may have a different reason for doing so. Most of the time, gym-goers that do this aren’t trying to show off on social media about their fitness success. There’s usually some sort of positive driving force behind this person’s decision to film their workout.
Here are 4 reasons that a person may choose to film themselves while exercising:
1. Positive Reinforcement
Being able to see your body in action when watching your workout videos is a great source of encouragement and positive reinforcement. Some people may choose to share these videos on social media where friends and family can offer compliments and words of encouragement. Finding the motivation within can be difficult at times and having an outside source of reinforcement can help inspire you to continue your fitness journey.
2. Tracking Progress
A person who chooses to film all their workouts may be doing so to track their progress on their fitness journey. As time goes on, you will notice you get stronger with every workout, and taking videos is a way for you to have a visual representation of how far you’ve come. Change happens gradually, but once you achieve your goals, it will be so fulfilling to look back at old videos to see your progress. This is also a great way to share your progress with your peers so they can keep up with your fitness journey, as well.
3. Accountability
Consistently updating your social media feed with your workout videos is an excellent way to hold yourself accountable. Frequently engaging in physical activity is a good habit to have and filming this habit each time can help motivate you to keep up with your fitness routines. There are also groups on social media that promote accountability and provide a space where people can connect with one another over their passion for fitness.
4. Connect with a Like-Minded Community
Many people who take videos of themselves while working out do so because they enjoy sharing them on social media and connecting with like-minded community members. Social media is a great place to find groups or peers who are on similar fitness journeys. Having a like-minded community can be a great support system to have on your path to wellness. Seeing others conquer their fitness goals can serve as excellent motivation for your own routine.
Final Thoughts
Filming yourself while working out can transform the way you engage with physical activity. Making workout videos can help you to challenge yourself and watch your progress as you gain more strength over time. Next time you hit the gym, ignore the self-conscious doubts in the back of your mind about what people will think and take a video of yourself as you work out. Whether you decide to post your workout videos to social media or not, these videos are excellent tools to have when working towards a healthier lifestyle or fitness goal. Keep in mind, that when filming your video, it is always important to be respectful of those around you and avoid filming others who are exercising without their consent.
How do you track your fitness progress?
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