There’s something deeply special about watching people come together – not just to sweat, but to support. Our very first Buddy Week reminded me once again that fitness is so much more than movement. It’s connection, courage, laughter, and the quiet strength that comes from knowing someone believes in you.
First, there was our Buddy Class on Tuesday, with 62 studio members that showed up! Our killer buddy playlist had everyone moving, grooving, and laughing together. The Buddy Dance was a highlight – hands clapping in sync, buddies twirling around, feeling the rhythm, giggling about mixing up left and right, and connecting with each other. The energy was so contagious, it reminded me of that catchy OMI song, “Found Myself a Cheerleader…”
Then came the Buddy Step, that had everyone yelling, trying not to step on each other’s toes, followed by ball squats, a true test of trust and teamwork! On that magical evening, not even the loud rain outside could dampen the energy, fun, and heart! Thank you, Adele, for capturing these precious memories so brilliantly, as always!!
For Buddy Week our Challenge members had to draw a name, and they had five tasks to comply with: Motivate your buddy to do four sessions, take a photo together, treat your buddy thoughtfully, do something kind for someone, and introduce yourself to someone at the studio you don’t know…
Women who might have been strangers just days before were paired as buddies, and for some the whole idea felt daunting. But they were soon encouraging each other, and all my wildest expectations were exceeded! I saw strangers become friends, I saw smiles replace nerves, and I heard cheers echo where silence used to live. It was as if the studio took a deep breath…and exhaled warmth, friendship, and camaraderie. A new layer of care and connection had settled over our space, adding depth and a new dimension to our Summer Challenge and to our community as a whole…
The famous American publisher, George M Adams, once said: “Encouragement is like oxygen to the soul.” I saw these words become real in our studio this week, and I realised all over again, that when we encourage one another, we all rise together.
I saw it in the way new fitness friends greeted each other with warm hugs, I heard it in the “Go Martha’s”, I read it on our WhatsApp groups where Pilates members personally challenged each other to show up, I experienced it in thoughtful gifts, anonymous letters, beautiful flowers, and high-fives. And I felt it in the atmosphere – a buzz of belonging that wrapped around the studio like an intimate embrace.
Even Hanné, our out-of-town Zoom Challenge member played her part, by sending a Plato voucher to her buddy, encouraging her the whole week with inspiring messages, and video calling a member she wanted to get to know better. It was pure Buddy Week magic! (If you are a Summer Challenge member, please send me a message telling me what as your highlight of Buddy Week, before Wednesday 20.00).
There were more conversations before class, and more smiles between sets. I felt the hum of friendship and belonging, more than ever before. But there was also something else – the buddies were promised an extra session added to their totals if both pitched for 4 classes before Friday. Knowing that someone is counting on you to show up can make all the difference when it comes to consistency!
I also learned a new word: Glazer…Yes, Talita called her buddy a glazer – someone who layers support, encouragement, and shine into another person! Come to think of it now, I think most of our Challenge members were Glazers, who coated their buddies, and motivated them to go that extra mile.
…Some people walk into a room and leave it brighter than they found it. They lift spirits, offer a hand when needed, and turn ordinary moments into something extraordinary. These are the glazers – people who help others, not for recognition, but because it simply feels right. During our Buddy Week, I saw many glazers in action. Buddies who didn’t just give motivation – they made it contagious.
But, the glazers at our studio are not only active during a Fitness Challenge – they are everywhere – in the subtle support during a tough class, in checking in on a fellow member, and especially in celebrating small and big wins at our prize giving ceremonies, as if it is their own.
This week, I also learned so much about people and the nature of giving. Some people give so effortlessly – their encouragement, their energy, their time, themselves, and it uplifts everyone around them. You can see it in the way they offer a hand without being asked, or in the way they present a gift to someone…
It has been a privilege this week being around generous, giving spirits. It has reminded me how powerful and contagious kindness can be – it creates a ripple effect, strengthening our community, and inspiring others to do the same.
As the famous American orator, Robert Ingersoll once said: “We rise by uplifting others.”
Buddy Week reminded us that fitness isn’t just about muscle and endurance; it’s about heart. Fitness can sometimes feel like a solo journey, but this week proved that we are, in every sense, a fitness family. We don’t just build physical strength here. We build each other.
It’s about showing up not just for yourself, but also for the person beside you. It’s about learning that you can go further when someone’s cheering you on – and realising that your voice, your presence, your belief, can make someone else’s stronger too.
I’m left with so much gratitude after this week – for every laugh, every open heart, every willing spirit. Our studio feels changed – not in appearance, but in atmosphere, Softer, yet stronger.
So, here’s to our buddies – to the hands that clap, the hearts that lift, and the souls that inspire. Thank you for being glazers, heart amazers, and the reason our studio isn’t just a place to move – it’s a place to belong.
Thank you.
“Thank you for being a friend.
Travelled down the road and back again.
Your heart is true
You’re a pal and a confidant…”
Yours in fitness
Mirna
0827790507