As the facility coordinator and head strength and speed coach at the D1 Savannah sports training center, Robert Creel encourages athletes of all ages and abilities to get in the habit of exercising. The facility, which opened on Ogeechee Highway in September, offers sports training for kids ages 7-18 as well as fitness programs for adults.
Creel offered the following tips to help people make exercise a habit.
1. Make time for exercise. “Time is always an issue and people put it off,” Creel said. He suggested that people schedule time for exercise in advance. That way, he said, “When the time comes, you’ll know it’s time to exercise.”
2. Have an accountability partner. He explained that having a workout partner holds each person accountable, which helps them get in the habit of working out when they say they will.
3. Be consistent. “Exercise every day,” Creel said. He cited the American College of Sports Medicine, which recommends “meeting the federal guidelines through 30 minutes of exercise, five days per week.”
4. Set a goal to challenge yourself. The strength and speed coach suggested people set goals to accomplish something by a certain date, such as training for a local 5K. He said setting goals will motivate people to keep exercising.
5. Most importantly, have fun. “Make it something you enjoy doing, otherwise you won’t want to do it,” Creel said. “There are so many ways to make it fun. If you like sports, play a sport to get exercise. If you don’t like sports, sign up to run a 5K or participate in a fitness class.”
For more information on D1 Savannah, call 912-920-8442 or go to d1sportstraining.com.