You may have heard it before: “Can’t seem to get to the gym? Join with a friend!” But this is not a ploy for gyms to get more members. Working out with friends, in a community that is supportive and friendly, can go a long way towards making the experience fun. When fitness gets fun, it stops being something you need to do – and starts being something you want to do.

This is exactly how Margo Miller, New-Yorker-turned-Bostonian and retired MIT Librarian, started her own fitness journey: exercising with friends. “At college, it was Royal Canadian Air Force exercises with a dorm mate. During my first years at MIT I swam at lunch time. Later a colleague invited me to the then equivalent of Body Sculpt and I was off and running (or lifting as the case may be),” said Margo. Joining a dorm-mate in informal workouts lead her all the way to becoming a devoted Body Sculpt student, a class which she almost never misses these days. “The instructors are terrific and classmates are delightful. There is NO temptation to skip class.” A fitness community extends beyond just the friend you show up with – fellow exercisers become new friends and welcoming, encouraging instructors keep bringing everyone back, week after week.

We hope all of our members find as much friendly community at MIT Recreation as Margo does. We are a diverse group, with different backgrounds, fitness levels, and ages across the spectrum. These things, we think, are what make a fitness community strong and welcoming. There is a place for you here whatever your fitness goals – from Olympic training to beginner swimming to simply getting more active. As for Margo? “As the oldest person in class, I just hope to maintain strength and flexibility.” Chances are, you will find her doing that and more at next week’s class.

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