More than movement: why training together matters
When we think about physical activity, we usually focus on what it does for our bodies: improving fitness, strength, endurance, and confidence.
But something else can happen when we are active together.
Put people in the same place, at the same time, week after week, working towards a shared goal, and the experience can become about more than kilometres covered or laps completed.
People talk. They encourage one another. They notice when someone is missing. Familiar faces become training partners, and training partners can become friends.
Australian research suggests that these social dimensions matter.
The value of moving together
The Australian Sports Commission1 reports that 73% of Australian adults believe sport is a good way to meet people and make friends, 68% see it as a place where people can feel a sense of belonging, and 61% believe sport helps bring local communities together.
It also found that 67% believe people are more likely to maintain regular physical activity when they commit to organised sport.
That idea of organised activity is important.
Connection doesn't necessarily happen just because people exercise in the same place. Structure creates repeated opportunities for relationships to grow: the next session is already in the diary, the coach knows your name, familiar faces are expecting you, and everyone is working towards a common goal.
A recent Australian study of 377 participants in the Man Walk2, a community walking program, offers another example. When asked what participants gained from the program, 73% cited socialisation, including stronger social bonds, belonging and community connection. Physical health benefits were cited by 26%.
That does not mean every group activity automatically creates friendship or belonging. However, structured, repeated, face-to-face activity can create the conditions for connection to develop.
More than a training program
At CanToo, our programs bring together coaching, community and a cause. There is the physical challenge: learning to ocean swim, running further or faster, or taking on something you might once have thought was beyond you.
Professional coaching helps you build the skills, fitness and confidence to get there. But there is also a group beside you, sharing hard sessions, breakthroughs, setbacks and a common purpose of raising funds for early and emerging cancer researchers in Australia.
"If you’d asked me three months ago whether I’d complete a competitive 10km race, I would’ve laughed. Yet today I not only did it, I ran a personal best... proof that with the right people around you, you’re capable of far more than you think." - Michelle, CanToo runner since 2026.
For many CanToo-ers, those relationships last long after their first program and become part of why they keep coming back.
"The CanToo community is filled with genuinely inspiring people, and I've been fortunate to build friendships with people who continue to motivate me to come back year after year." - Amelia, CanToo swimmer since 2019.
Come for the challenge. See what grows from it.
You might join CanToo to run 10 kilometres, become more confident in the ocean, get fitter, or do something meaningful for cancer research. All are good reasons.
But somewhere between your first session and the finish line, you may discover something unexpected: a community.
Ready to make a splash with a fun, supportive community? Our 2027 Summer Ocean Swim registrations are now open for our 1km-2.5km and 5km programs! From w/c 2 November 2026 - 7 February 2027, you'll enjoy coached pool and beach sessions, helping you build skills, fitness, confidence and friendships.
Want to hit the ground running instead? Lace up and join our 2027 Summer Run program from w/c 16 November 2026 - 6 February 2027! This 10-week coached program is designed to bring runners together twice a week as they work towards a 10km goal.
Come for the challenge. Come for the coaching. Come to make a difference.
And see what can happen when you do it together.
Challenge yourself. Challenge cancer. Together.
Sources:
1. ORIMA Research Pty Ltd (2025), Community Perceptions Monitor: 2024–25 Annual Report, prepared for the Australian Sports Commission.
2. Snowdon, N., Ahmed, K.Y., Dalton, H. et al. A mixed methods snapshot of the Man Walk program: a community-based response to loneliness and health among older Australian men. BMC Public Health 26, 1234 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-26858-8.
