If you’re struggling with motivation, or you simply want to squeeze more out of every workout, one of the smartest moves you can make is to get a workout buddy! In fact, having the right workout buddy can often be the difference between failure and success, mediocre results and incredible results. Even if you find you work better on your own, the right workout partner can force you to tap into those extra reserves of strength and energy so that you push through a few extra reps. The right workout buddy helps you give it your all, and if you want great results then you’ve got to give it everything you’ve got: you get out, what you put in!
8 BENEFITS OF HAVING A GOOD WORKOUT BUDDY::
1. INCREASES COMMITMENT~
It’s one thing bailing on your own workout, but it’s much, much harder to ditch a workout when you know you’re going to be letting your workout buddy down – not to mention the heat you’re going to get when you see them again. In addition to this, having a workout partner means you have to plan your workouts in advance to meet each other’s schedules, and once it’s down on paper and scheduled, it’s much more likely that you’re going to follow through with it.
2. HELP YOU ACHIEVE YOUR FITNESS GOALS~
Through ongoing studies, Stanford University has found that simply receiving a phone call every two weeks can boost the amount of exercise you do by up to 78%. The call, which was by either a human or a computer, would find out how much exercise was done in the past week, how the level of exercise could be increased the following week, and if any workouts were missed, emphasize the importance of getting back on track. After 18 months, they were still exercising at the increased level. So even if you can’t find a workout buddy yet, at the very least get a friend to call you and ask those 2 questions each week, this will boost your motivation considerably! The takeaway from this study is that social support works even if it’s just on the phone. So when you make that support face-to-face, it’s even more powerful – you’re definitely going to be making your workouts, and the more consistent you are with your workouts, the sooner you’re going to achieve your fitness goals!
3. WORKING OUT BECOMES FUN~
You can get a serious workout, without being serious – it’s okay to have fun. In fact, the more fun your workouts are, the more you’re going to look forward to and be committed to them over the long-term. There’s absolutely no doubt that the right workout buddy can make your workouts more fun. Working out alone can be lonely, so just having that social contact – being able to laugh, encourage and motivate – will make them much more enjoyable.
4. EASIER TO TRY NEW WORKOUTS~
Like they say: there’s power in numbers. When you’ve got someone else with you it’s much less intimidating to start using the gym, going to new classes, hitting the free weights or just trying out new exercise equipment (e.g. kettlebells).
5. KEEPS YOUR FORM ON POINT~
In a perfect world, your workout buddy would be a personal trainer, who could show you the perfect form for your exercises. However, if your workout buddy has even a little experience, they should be able to help correct any obvious form mistakes. Remember, it’s still important to get a trainer to make sure that you have good form, especially when you start doing new exercises.
6. COMPETITION MAKES YOU PERFORM BETTER~
Most of us have at least a little competitive streak, and healthy competition is a good thing because it makes you perform better. It is proven that participants perform better when they are paired up with a workout partner who is fitter than they are. When participants are working as a team they exercised 160% longer than those simply working with a partner and 200% longer than those working alone; lastly, when men were paired up with a woman who was fitter than they were, they were exceptionally motivated – more so than when paired up with another man who was fitter than them. The lesson: Getting a workout buddy will make you perform better at your workouts!
7. MOTIVATES AND SUPPORTS YOU~
For most people, having someone in your corner makes a huge difference with how motivated you are. Having a good workout buddy, who motivates and supports you will boost your commitment to your fitness goals and your confidence that you can achieve them.
8. BRINGS VARIETY TO YOUR WORKOUTS~
Your workout buddy has different skills and knowledge than you do – you can benefit from this by the different exercises they introduce you to, the correct form, new workouts and different ways of being active. Variety is one of the key components of fun, so you’re much more likely to stick to your workouts when you can do new things.
These are a few simple benefits of getting yourself a workout partner, and if you took a moment, you could probably come up with a handful more. The point is, having a good workout buddy is going to propel you much further towards your fitness goals, and faster at that than if you go it alone!
