12 Reasons To Exercise With A Partner

You and your friends are always there for each other when need be, whether it's as a shoulder to cry on, a sounding board to bounce ideas off of, or a wing woman to improve your game, and now it's time to start being there for one another where it really counts: at the gym. Whether you're trying to squeeze in more time for your social life, or motivate yourself to get your blood pumping, there are plenty of amazing reasons to exercise with a partner. After all, the friends who sweat together, stay together.

Aside from the occasional group gym trip and running groups, I've always been the kind of person who works out alone. I had my own routine that I was pretty good at sticking to, and it usually involved me, an audio book, and the treadmill, but when I moved last fall, that all changed. When I left my old gym behind, I also left my routine, motivation, and drive behind with it. For the first few months in my new home, I rarely worked out, save for the occasional afternoon run. And then my sister asked me to join the gym with her, and it all changed.

Having someone to help motivate me, and having someone else to hold me accountable, helped jump start my fitness routine. In just a few short weeks of working out together, my sister and I could clearly see the benefits of working out with someone else. Instead of dreading the gym, we actually look forward to it, and the physical and emotional results helped prove how effective it is.

Here are 12 reasons you should consider working out with someone, because if it worked for us, it can work for you, too.

1. There Will Be Someone There To Help Motivate You — And Vice Versa

No matter how much you want to adapt a healthier lifestyle, making those changes alone can be hard. Doing them with someone else, however, makes it a lot easier. You and your friend can cheer each other on, and encourage each other to get to that spin class or run that extra mile on the treadmill, and motivate each other to stick with it, because in the end, you're in it together.

2. Your Gym Session Will Double As A Therapy Session

If you go to the gym with a friend, you can simultaneously get a workout in and vent about your day. You can spot each other while giving each other life advice. You can express your frustrations about work, your significant other, and the patriarchy all while jogging next to your bestie on the treadmill. In the hour you spend at the gym, you can exercise, spend time with your BFF, and get all the emotional support you need for the day. It's a win-win.

3. Your Schedule Will Feel More Manageable

It's hard to fit everything you need to do in one day, and a lot of the times, the things you want to do get ignored completely. Going to the gym with a friend or group of friends will help ease that crazed feeling you get when you look at your schedule. Working out with someone combines something you have to do, exercise, with something you want to do, hang out with your friends. It's killing two birds with one stone, in the best possible way.

4. You Will Have A Partner To Try New Things With

If you're the kind of person who likes to read articles about new workout routines and fitness hacks, then you should consider getting a gym buddy. When you go to try out the new moves, you'll have someone to not only try them with you, but help guide you while you do it. Instead of only having a webpage or a magazine to refer to, you'll have a person who can tell you if you're actually doing it right. It's like mutual personal training with your BFF.

5. You Won't Be The Only Person Holding Yourself Responsible For Exercising

When you work out by yourself, it's easy to make up excuses to avoid going to the gym. But when you work out with someone else, you're being held accountable by someone else, too. If you sleep through your 6 a.m. Pilates class, you won't just be skipping your exercise for the day, but you'll be ditching your friend, too. With that mindset, hitting snooze becomes a lot harder to do.

6. It Is More Fun Working Out With Someone Else

One of the simplest reasons for working out with someone else is that it will be more fun. Whether you like working out or hate it, going to the gym can get boring. If you have someone to keep you company while you're there, the hour you spend stretching, running, biking, doing reps, or exercising however it is you exercise, will fly by because you'll be having a lot more fun.

7. You Have A Support System

Working out is a great way to stay healthy and happy, but it can also be discouraging at times. If you're having a hard time reaching your fitness goal, are getting frustrated at your lack of motivation, or are simply trying to push yourself further than you've gone before, it can be hard to do it all on your own. Having a gym buddy is like having a built-in support system on the treadmill next to you, and it makes the entire experience a more positive one.

8. You Can Save Money

Biological and emotional reasons aside, working out with someone else can be plain cheaper. Many gyms offer discounted packages for people who sign up together, and personal trainers generally charge less per person when you book a session with someone else. Working out with someone isn't only just fun and effective, but it's also less expensive.

9. A Little Competition Never Hurt Anybody

According to a study done by Kansas State University professor of kinesiology Brandon Irwin and his team, people put more effort into their workout routine when they're exercising with someone else, in part because they believe the other person is better than they are. In simple terms, working out with someone who is slightly more athletic than you, or someone you may think is better than you, will make you work harder.

10. Working Out With Someone Is Safer

Whether you're a seasoned athlete or a newbie to the gym, it's important to be safe whenever you work out. There are a lot of tips for not hurting yourself at the gym, but some of the best advice is to always use a spotter, and to not be afraid to ask for help. If you find a friend to go to the gym with, you'll always have someone there to do both those things with, and the only pain your body will feel after the gym is the good kind.

11. Your Workout Will Get Some Variety

It's easy to fall into a rut when you work out alone, but you can beat the boredom when you work out with someone else and spice up your boring old routine. If you're normally a cardio-lover and your friend is crazy about free weights, together you can combine your interests and create a new and interesting routine that will keep you both challenged.

12. You Will Have Someone To Push You

Your friends are the people there for you when you need them, whether it's pushing to go for the promotion, encouraging you to speak up for yourself when it matters, or supporting you when you want to try something new. If you take your friendship to the gym, they'll also be the ones pushing you to try hard, go faster, and get stronger. Just make sure you are there to return the favor.

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