Should I Exercise with a Friend?

Many of us are aware of the benefits that come with getting 30 minutes of exercise daily, such as reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Research also shows that exercise can improve mood, sharpen our memory and increases our muscle and bone strength.²

What if I told you that exercising with a partner or friend comes with even more benefits? Read below for a few reasons why you should invite a friend to your next workout.

Working out with a friend:

• Increases your commitment. A workout partner can keep you accountable by checking in on your fitness goals and helping you stick to your gym schedule. After all, you won’t want to skip a day and leave your friend hanging.
• Can make working out safer. You will be with someone that cares about your wellbeing, can check your form and help you with new training techniques.
• Can be incredibly motivating. Seeing another person work toward and meet a fitness goal can push you to achieve your own goals as well.

Some tips for keeping up with a partner routine:

• Pick someone that you like and that likes working out. That way, if you happen to feel unmotivated, you won’t have an enabler to skip a workout session. You also want to be around someone that makes working out a positive experience.
• Switch up the type of workouts you do. If one of you likes running and the other likes lifting weights, take turns leading the workout. Adding variety not only keeps your training interesting, but it teaches your muscles to recruit in different patterns and can break through a weight loss plateau.
• Make shared calendar invites. This will ensure that you both make time for each other and your commitment to fitness.
• Sign up for trial memberships. You can try out new locations, styles of workout and instructors together without the awkwardness that can come with going alone.
• Motivate each other outside of the gym. Exercise is just one element of living a healthy lifestyle. Motivate your workout partner in other areas of health and wellness, such as eating properly, getting enough sleep and drinking enough water throughout the day.

Working Out Without Injury

If you start feeling unusual aches or pains after exercise, make sure to schedule a free assessment at a nearby Athletico clinic. Our team will take a look at your injury and recommend treatment options to help you heal and get back in the gym with your workout partner as soon as possible.

Schedule a Free Assessment

The Athletico blog is an educational resource written by Athletico employees. Athletico bloggers are licensed professionals who abide by the code of ethics outlined by their respective professional associations. The content published in blog posts represents the opinion of the individual author based on their expertise and experience. The content provided in this blog is for informational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice and should not be relied on for making personal health decisions.

References:
1. Elmagd, Mohammed Abou. “Benefits, Need and Importance of Daily Exercise.” International Journal of Physical Education, Sports and Health, 8 Aug. 2016, www.kheljournal.com/archives/2016/vol3issue5/PartA/3-4-55-201.pdf.
2. Richards J, Jiang X, Kelly P, Chau J, Bauman A, Ding D. Don’t worry, be happy: cross-sectional associations between physical activity and happiness in 15 European countries. BMC Public Health. 2015;15:53. doi:10.1186/s12889-015-1391-4.