Caring Strangers Effect Positive Outcomes. That was the ideal we highlighted in part 1 of a 3-part series of Excy blog posts to capture the silver lining in breaking a leg as we prepare to launch our portable exercise bike. As we mention in that post, launching a startup is often referred to as “giving birth to a company” and in the world of a startup, we’ll soon enter our 3rd trimester for bringing Excy to market. Our goal in this Excy series is to highlight how important relationships throughout our day-to-day life can also become part of the fabric of a startup’s core ideals.
In part 1, the Excy blog post focused on the influence, power, and the kindness of strangers and how their acts of selflessness can have an amazing impact.
For part 2, we want to focus on how True Friends Are a Warm Refuge.
Power of friendship, Excy and our portable exercise bike
The philosopher Aristotle said, “In poverty and other misfortunes of life, true friends are a sure refuge.” When I broke my leg three weeks ago, my husband was out of town and my son and I were alone at the skate center waiting for an ambulance. I called a friend to come pick up our son from the hospital before I went in for surgery. If the hospital was 15 minutes from his house, he must have been there in 17. He dropped everything, loaded up his kids, and came and grabbed our son until my husband was able to catch a flight late that evening.
Friends come to the rescue when knocked down!
So many friends have helped in amazing little (big to me) ways, including visiting at the hospital, dropping off dinner, helping with errands, arranging playdates, bring by a coffee for my caffeine addiction, and so much more. Not only have these friends been a sure refuge during this time, but they’ve also come through with an amazing sense of warmth that will forever inspire me to always be a better, mindful, and supportive friend.
So, what does friendship have to do with Excy and our portable exercise bike?
Just as there are times in life when you need to enlist the help of a friend to get from point A to point B, research shows that when friends enlist the help of each other to exercise together, they get better results.
In fact, one study found that women who exercise with friends burn around 236 calories, compared to the 195 calories burned during a solo session. The same study found that the average workout with friends lasts for 42 minutes, while the average run with a partner was around 31 minutes. Compare this to the lonely gym-goers, whose sessions only lasted for 36 minutes (6 minutes less), and whose runs only lasted 29 minutes (2 minutes less).
Research also shows that having co-workers and friends support healthy eating habits are also linked to greater weight loss. And there are numerous studies highlighting the the benefits of exercising on the job with colleagues and getting your blood pumping at your desk.
We are designing the Excy portable exercise bike to used anywhere while still enjoying the people, places, and values that shape our everyday lives. People can easily meet their friends and co-workers at a park, at a favorite lunch spot, a conference room or anywhere else their heart desires. We also envision a world where co-workers exercise together at work, including during meetings or at their desk.
With our portable exercise bike, we’ve made it so much easier to combine the basic human need of friendship and companionship with physical exercise equipment to generate a positive influence on your exercise habits.
So, when it comes to exercise and fitness, Excy says “Let Friendship Ring.”
Next up in Part 3 of this blog series, our post focus on why Family Matters Most.
Make sure to become an Excy Insider at excy.wpengine.com so you can be one of the first people on the planet to see the new Excy portable exercise bike. You can also connect with Excy on Facebook and Twitter.