Sure, you may not be looking your best while sweating your way to a healthier you and it may be harder to catch up with a friend while you’re out of breath, but isn’t sweating and working hard the point? Read on for five great reasons to buddy up for your next workout.

Responsibility

Working out with a partner adds a deeper facet of accountability to your workout. If you have plans with someone, it makes it that much harder to back out. You become accountable for your workouts, and being on a set time and schedule will make you more likely to follow through.

Two is better than one

Having another person to workout with opens the door for so many new workout moves that require an extra pair of hands – they can spot you while weight lifting, or toss you the medicine ball for floor crunches. With a workout buddy you can surpass your own limits and lift more with their help as a spotter, and you can do medicine ball tosses with more weight than you could merely on your own. Not to mention, when using more weight it is safer to have someone there to relieve you.

Competition

This really goes without saying. Whenever you’re working out with someone, there is a natural competitive edge added to the process. You can also make games out of your workout to spice things up: see who can hold a plank longer, or who can hold a sprint longer. Try to find a partner who is a little bit fitter than you are, so you are motivated to keep up and go beyond your comfort zone.

Try something different

When working out with a buddy, their personal preferences also come into account, which may be completely different than yours. If you’re a cycle person, you may find yourself in a Zumba or kickboxing class. Shocking your body with a new routine is always a good thing, to keep things exciting and fun and work out different parts of your body that may have been neglected. With a workout partner, you can move further out of your comfort zone and you may even find a new training regimen that you want to incorporate into your own private workout sessions!

Keep motivated

Saving the best for last, this may be one of the most important reasons to enlist a workout buddy: motivation. Half of the struggle of working out is staying motivated and keeping things fun. All of the above tips blend into this one, acting as personal motivators to keep you going when your brain or your body tells you you’re getting bored.

What do you think?

Do you have a workout buddy? What are your favorite exercises to do with them? How has having a partner affected your workouts? Share with us in the comments section below!

3 Comments

  1. avatar Frankie says:

    My workout buddy and I used to keep each other motivated, because we would feel guilty if we even missed a day of working out! A workout buddy also brings out the competitive streak in me, even if we are jogging just for fun i do not want to lose (i know a tad bit childish, but it gets the work done)!

  2. avatar Desmond says:

    Another bonus is the more physical activity you have with your workout buddy the more sharp your mind will be meaning that you’ll be able to study harder and do better so it has great benefits. That’s what I’m doing on my journey to getting a degree for less than normal. Working out and studying while writing my blog in my spare time.

  3. avatar Goldeelocks says:

    I do have a workout buddy and it helps tremendously! Just when I want to quit… I cant!

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