Working out alone can get lonely and cause you to lose motivation. As with other things, exercising with a friend can double the fun. According to experts, a particular percentage – around 40% – of participants who enroll in a fitness class drop it shortly after they begin when attending alone. But if they enroll with a friend, the rate decreases by a significant 6%. Social support usually encourages physical activity. Apart from this, working out with a friend can help you stay motivated and focused, work harder, hold you accountable and many other things.
Because of this, choosing the right partner to come work out with you is also essential. This can make or break the progress that you come to.
Accountability
You and your partner of choice can hold each other accountable for your routines. If one is unable to find the motivation they need for the day, the other can remind you why you started in the first place. This goes both ways. Ditching your partner or your friend who wants to go for a run or to the gym can sometimes make you feel guilty because of your established partnership. Guilt can be a big motivator in this field, and the extra accountability of showing up can make for a successful routine for you both. Remind each other why you started, why you need or want each other there, and what you’re aiming for in the first place. This is the only time you can guilt-trip your friend without the bad taste in your mouth.
Motivation
More often than not, working out with a friend can make you harbor a little friendly competition. If you’re both just starting out, see who can push their limits the furthest. Over time, it can happen that you or your friend can run that extra mile, lift a heavier load, do more reps, and the likes. You’d hate to be the one left behind, so you try and challenge yourself to reach or even surpass their level. A little friendly competition never hurt anybody. Just make sure that the competition stays friendly and the ways in which you’re trying to reach your goals are always safe. Always keep in mind that your health and safety should come first, and if you are unable to do the same things your friend is able to, you can work on them consistently to get there! More motivation.
Trying Something New
If you’re both tired of your same old routine and looking to switch things up, why not try a new program together? You could both be interested in two different things, if your friend is more into yoga and you’re more into HIIT, try to do both together and see which one works better for you both! There’s no harm in trying and you may even develop a new hobby together which makes for a good bonding session. Trying new things seems scary at first, but with the right person by your side, it’s bound to be fun.
Safety
These days we make use of the buddy system in doing everything, this is also to have someone look out for you and you looking out for someone just the same. Running alone in the wee hours of the morning can get dangerous if you do it alone, you might run into an injury and no one will know. You might also encounter dangerous people, which is increasing rampantly. Going to the gym, many people have also reported being followed into locker rooms or their own cars! It’s just much safer to have someone around. Plus, some exercises even require your own spotting partner like lifting heavy weights. Look out for each other and keep each other safe.
Setting Mutual Goals and Celebrating the Milestones
Maybe you and your buddy have had your sights set on something like a personal best time, longest mile, common race you want to run, goal weight, dream body. Whatever the case, working towards a common goal can really be something worth looking forward to and working towards together. This will form a new bond between you and your buddy, as well as celebrating the same thing together can really make things more fun and be a big motivator to keep going. This can also strengthen your friendship.
Let’s not take away that working out with a buddy can just be more fun in general. Especially if it’s someone that you can laugh with about mistakes, and talk about many different things while working out. Choosing a buddy you’re really comfortable with can contribute many great things to your fitness path.
