We all know exercise has many benefits – it can build strength, prevent health problems and boost your energy levels, to name just a few – but it also requires a healthy dose of motivation. One way of increasing your enthusiasm and commitment to working out is to buddy up with someone and use them and their bodies for support and resistance. Whether you’re booked in for a high-intensity session at the gym or trying out Pilates in the park, partnering up to exercise is a great way to keep fit.
Have you ever started the Couch to 5K running plan, only to get to week three and defer back to the couch? Or joined a local health club at the start of a new year and found yourself only using the hot tub come March? One of the main predictors of any successful exercise regime is having the support of other people. Being accountable to someone else means you’re more likely to show up and, when you do, that you’ll work that much harder. It’s a win-win situation.
Your workout buddy could be anyone you get on well with – a friend, colleague, sibling, niece or nephew. Friends with Health Benefits: A Field Experiment, a study by assistant professor Rachel Gershon from the University of California, Berkeley, showed that pursuing goals with friends makes them much more attainable. Gershon, along with professors Cynthia Cryder from Washington University and Katherine L Milkman from the University of Pennsylvania, specifically looked at gym attendance and found that going with a friend increased visits by 35 per cent. They concluded that ‘making desired behaviours social helped to promote follow-through’.
A lack of motivation can be the biggest enemy to attaining that hallowed six-pack. The main problem when exercising alone is that it’s all too easy to slack off when no one is looking. Enrolling a personal trainer is one way to be accountable to another person while you exercise, but this isn’t always accessible to everyone. Working out with a friend or partner comes with many of the same advantages – regular sessions, encouragement and support, safety – but without the cost.
Social benefits
‘One of the main benefits of working out together is the camaraderie and the connection it provides,’ says Krista Popowych, author of Partner Workouts: Training Together for Better Results. ‘We live in a world of social media that’s meant to connect us, yet we are often somewhat disconnected. But hitting the gym or training together keeps us connected with each other while working towards a common goal… It keeps us engaged and keeps each person more accountable.’
While you don’t have to be romantically involved with your workout buddy, a 2021 study by Kent State University in the US showed that couples who exercised together ‘experienced higher positive affect during exercise, higher daily positive affect, and were more satisfied with their relationship compared to days when they exercised without their partner’.
‘Training with a partner works well because it makes exercising so much more enjoyable,’ says Krista. ‘Yes, we sweat together, but we can also chat and laugh. It’s a great way to be social and active at the same time.’ There’s also the mental aspect of exercising with a trusted and reliable friend. ‘A partner may provide the extra boost we need on days that we may not feel like exercising.’
Working out or strength training with a partner also provides an extra level of safety. The other person can check your posture and technique, which helps reduce the risk of injury. It might even give you the confidence to try new exercises or classes.
Find the right buddy
Feeling comfortable and relaxed in the company of your workout partner is important, so family and friends are often the first port of call when choosing one. It’s also important to consider your fitness levels and workout styles. Maybe one of you is more focused on cardio, the other on building strength, but this can still work. You’ll just need to compromise sometimes.
It’s important, though, to pick a partner who you’re happy to spend regular time with. Also, think about whether a potential partner will support you when the going gets tough. Will they push you and help you reach your targets or criticise your attempts and slow you down? Can you be honest and open with them? These are all sensible points to consider before asking someone to team up.
‘Picking the right partner also comes down to finding someone who wants to exercise with you. It may seem basic, but commitment really is the key,’ says Krista. ‘There are many different partner exercises and ways to train together, so there’ll be something for everyone. Even if one partner is stronger than the other or one partner has different goals, there’s a way to thread in a common theme or choose a format that can be effective for both of you.’
Communication and competition
As in many relationships, good communication between workout buddies is the key to success. ‘It’s important to have a conversation with your partner beforehand. Ask what motivates them and how they like to be motivated. Having an understanding of each other will make each workout more effective,’ says Krista. ‘However, it’s also incredibly important to communicate throughout each workout session, especially on exercises where you are adding resistance to a partner or doing something where you’re physically connected.’
And, of course, there’s also the competitive aspect. Working out alone can be tough. You have to be motivated and dedicated to push yourself forward, but add in some healthy competition and you have an inbuilt need to work harder. Known as ‘competition motivation theory’, humans perform better when competing with others – as seen in the Olympics. It’s a key component of motivating yourself to perform better.