3 Stay Accountable With the Buddy System Get a Little Competitive Whether you make your workouts explicitly competitive or not, working out with someone is a great way to subconsciously push yourself to improve. Even if your partner is stronger, faster, or in better shape than you, the drive to close the gap between your capabilities can be a big motivating factor. Psychologists call this mental push to avoid being the weak link the “Köhler effect.” In small groups, those who begin weaker often push themselves to improve the most. Why not put this psychological phenomenon to work for you? Stay Accountable The most valuable reason to have a workout buddy is accountability. Just having a dedicated person to ask you if you’ve met your fitness goals can have a significant impact on how regularly you exercise. In fact, something as simple as a bimonthly check-in has been shown to help people increase the amount of time they spend working out. A Stanford University study on the impact of social support on physical activity found that an occasional check-in boosted test subjects’ workout times by an average of 78 percent. This is part of a growing body of research that suggests positive social support may be a key factor in motivation. Even if you can’t actually exercise alongside your workout buddy, just checking in on one another’s goals can make a huge difference. REASONS TO WORK OUT WITH A FRIEND
When you work out alone, it can be tempting to cut corners and get comfortable. After all, if you cheat on a pullup or don’t swing that kettlebell as high as you should, who will know? That’s where a workout buddy comes in. Here are three ways hitting the gym with a friend can make your workouts safer and more effective — and a lot more fun! Ensure Proper Form When you don’t perform an exercise correctly, you may not even be working the right muscles, which makes all of your hard work pointless. At best, you’ll cheat yourself out of the full benefits of your workout. At worst, you risk injury. By working out with someone else, you can spot one another and keep an eye out for lapses in form. You and your partner can keep each other honest, ensuring your routine stays safe and effective. Texans understand the value of taking responsibility. More often than not, you’ll find people willing to own up to their mistakes and make amends. This virtue is the reason why we are one of only a handful of states using comparative responsibility laws. What Is Comparative Responsibility? Comparative responsibility means that civil liability is not viewed as black and white. Under this system, personal injury claims are split among all parties involved according to what percentage of the accident is deemed to be their fault. Picture it this way. You’re walking to a lunch date, but you’re running late. You decide to cross a street against the light, only to be hit by a driver who was texting behind the wheel. In this scenario, both your decision to cross the street and the negligence of the driver would factor into your injury claim. How Does This Impact My Claim? Sharing liability means the responsibility for paying damages is divided amongst the at-fault parties. Returning to our lunch date example, let’s say your injuries total $10,000 in damages. However, you are deemed 20 percent liable for the accident. This means that you will receive $8,000 from the driver’s insurance company, leaving you and your insurance company to cover the rest.
WHO’S FAULT IS IT, ANYWAY? Understanding Comparative Responsibility
Who Decides These Percentages? The insurance adjusters do, if your claim goes through. If you decide to file a suit, then it becomes a jury’s responsibility to allocate fault. In either case, these assessments are based off of the facts of your case and your account of the accident and its aftermath. This is why it’s important to consider seeking the counsel of an experienced Texas personal injury attorney. How Can a Lawyer Help? As we said at the beginning, Texas is full of honest folk. But insurance is a business, and adjusters and insurance attorneys are ultimately there to maximize their companies’ profits. They may leverage your words against you or ask leading questions to paint you as more culpable than you actually were. Having a trained personal injury attorney on your side evens the odds, ensuring that you aren’t unduly blamed for an accident that was ultimately not your fault. At the Medlin Law Firm, we believe in personal accountability that is fair. If you or a loved one have been injured by a negligent driver, give us a call at 817-900-6000. Our legal experts will listen to the unique facets of your case and help you find the best path for pursuing your claim.
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