Exercise + Friends = A Powerful Combination
If you could only do two things to improve your health, we’d suggest exercising and spending quality time with friends. The former is self-explanatory, but the latter may be even more important than you’d think: Loneliness can be pretty harmful to your well-being and after the last year of being so detached from relationships, it’s a great time to start strengthening your relationships, while you strengthen your body.
Getting active and taking part in regular exercise boosts both our physical and mental well-being. Socializing with friends has also been known to improve our mental health and combat feelings of loneliness. Why not combine the two and find a workout partner who also wants to have a great time while you work to achieve your fitness goals?
So we say, combine the two: grab a workout buddy and sweat together. Besides killing two birds with one stone, you’ll be reaping a whole host of benefits. Here, are our top 7:
WHO DOESN’T LIKE A LITTLE COMPETITION AMONGST FRIENDS?
Finding your workout buddy is a great excuse to engage in a bit of healthy (and fun) competition. Neither of you will want to fall behind during your workout, so it can be that added boost that will motivate you to keep going and reach new heights.
YOU’LL HAVE MORE FUN… AND LAUGHS
While it’s obviously important to make sure you get a great workout, it’s also just as vital to have fun. Exercising by yourself can get a little lonely, so with a partner, you’ll be able to share both the good and the tough times with a grin. Plus, combining training with having a bit of chat, catching up on some gossip, and having some motivating banter can make it even more enjoyable!
GET FRESH IDEAS TO SWITCH THINGS UP
Occasionally, we may shy away from trying out new GROUP, studio, or team training classes we’ve always been interested in or checking out that area in the gym we’ve found intimidating and nervous to approach. But with a workout partner on board, you’ll both be able to support one another, learn new things and step out of each other’s comfort zones.
ENJOY A SPOT WHEN YOU NEED IT
If you’re thinking of going the extra mile with your strength or weight training, a friend can help ‘spot’ you through those last couple of tough reps at the end of your set. Having someone else around when you’re lifting heavy weights also makes your workout a lot safer and keeps you both injury-free.
Workout buddies will also help each other to perfect their form by pointing out the times their partner needs to straighten their back more or bend their knees that little bit extra. Trust us, form does matter.
BUILD AND MAINTAIN A BETTER STRUCTURE
Weight training with a partner is ideal. You can alternate your exercises so that your friend completes their set during your rest period and vice versa. This should eliminate any distractions in between sets like scrolling through your phone on social media, something many of us are guilty of (unless your getting a quick pic of you and your partner’s fitness session and sharing it on Instagram with the hashtag #MyFitnessProject).
GET & STAY COMMITTED
It can be incredibly easy to make excuses not to visit the gym. This is especially true if you’re going on your own. You are, however, much more likely to stay committed if you’ve got a workout buddy. This is because you may feel guilty about not turning up and letting them down. This could help you visit more regularly and work harder to achieve your purpose.
STAY MOTIVATED
Sometimes, all we need is a little bit of encouragement to help us push out that last rep, run that bit faster, go the extra mile, or hang in there for another minute, all for the kudos that your workout partner’s “well done”, high-five or pat on the back brings with it. Having a workout partner can help inspire you to keep going and get even better.
So, while some prefer a solo fitness regime, as it enables us to keep on track and stay focused, others truly enjoy the benefits of working out with a partner. This is because it helps you to stay motivated during a workout, boosts your overall performance, and helps you have more fun. Plus for a limited time, referring a new friend/workout buddy can earn you a FREE MONTH – And who doesn’t like FREE?
