The alarm goes off, it’s still dark out, and your bed is so cozy and warm. You know you should get up and go to the gym but it’s easier to snooze your alarm and roll back over. We’ve all been there. But, what if you knew you had someone who was counting on you to meet them in the locker room or help you set up your spot with equipment in the Group Fitness Studio? Working out with a partner not only motivates you to but there is someone to hold you accountable as well  to keep going! 

You don’t have to do this alone - build a Fit Fam of your own. We talked to Danilo, our Fitness Director in North Attleboro and he gave us 4 great benefits of having a friend to workout with. 

1) Having someone to help hold you accountable to show up to the gym

2) Makes the "suffering" portion of the session more bearable because you have someone to experience that tough times with.

3) There tends to be a certain comical level that comes with working with a partner (especially couples) because they tend to give each other a hard time throughout tough parts of the workouts!

4) You have someone to share your progress/journey with

Keep reading to learn how having a workout partner can help build a better you! 

1. Having someone to help hold you accountable to show up to the gym

    Many people think that starting is the hardest part, but actually staying consistent is where people tend to fall off. According to Hirofumi Tanaka, PhD, a professor of Kinesiology and Health Education at UT Austin, “One of the predictors of success in terms of persistent exercise is the support of other people,”. The CDC also mentions that when working out with a friend/partner you will work harder and encourage each other more. Also, again the fact of being consistent and knowing someone is counting on you. As humans we often don’t want to let people down and meeting them at the gym is no exception. 

2. Makes the "suffering" portion of the session more bearable because you have someone to experience the tough times with.

    Have you ever been out for a run and you come up on a hill and think “oh no… how am I ever going to do this?” Then you look over and see your running buddy and you know they’re thinking the same thing. Depending on your pace maybe you decide to have a conversation to make it go by quicker or maybe you just keep quiet and get through it side by side. Either way when you reach the top of the hill you look at each other again and smile. Having someone to meet at the top always makes activities feel more achievable. While the top in this example was a hill, the top could also represent the completion of any difficult workout and challenge. 

    Also, having someone to go through these “suffering” times can motivate you to do better. We chatted with one of our incredible Fit Factory members. She told us she “finds it that they tend to push each other to do better” and that “working, being tortured… is a lot more fun with someone else.” At the end of a hard workout set you can sit together and discuss how miserable that was but be proud of what you accomplished together!

    There is also an effect called the Kholer effect which happens when an inferior team member conducts a trying task better in a team or group setting then they would have on their own. By the terms of this effect, it makes sense that people perform better with a partner or during group fitness. 

3. Need a laugh? Sometimes there’s a certain comical level that comes with working with a partner (especially couples) because they tend to give each other a hard time throughout tough parts of the workouts!

    Working out with someone you are close to or even in a relationship with can help alleviate a lot of stress because you feel comfortable with them. That also opens the door for some light humor as well as pushing you to do better. It is important to provide motivation but that means there can also be some healthy competition! Working out with someone consistently you get to know their patterns. Don’t be afraid to use a bit of humor to keep them going. While working out and reaching your goals is serious, it’s important to remember to have fun, especially if you are working out with someone who has meaning to you! 

4. You have someone to share your progress and journey with

    Last, but certainly not least, working out and setting goals is a journey. It’s not something that happens overnight. That said, when you do hit those milestones it will feel so much better if you have someone to celebrate with who has been helping you along the way. 

    It will feel so good to look at how far you have come and how you have that person to thank for helping you get there. Not only will you feel better about yourself, but your relationship with this person will also be much stronger. 

Working out with a partner makes getting to the gym and completing your workouts so much more meaningful. Whether you are working out with a friend or a significant other, we guarantee you will feel great after you exercise as a team! Take advantage of the membership promotion taking place this month-FREE add-on for any Premier member. Two memberships for the price of one! Sign-up today! We can’t wait to see YOU and your workout PARTNER!