Work Out Buddies: The Benefits of Exercise With a Friend

Nov 15, 2010 Marie Landry

Working out with a buddy has endless benefits - Wonderlane

Many of us want or need to lose weight. We cut calories, join gyms, attend boot camps, try fad diets and any number of other things in the journey to achieve good health and fitness. Some things work, some things don't, some people stick with it, and some people don't. I've tried many things over the years and one thing I've discovered is that however you go about doing it, getting healthy, especially the exercise part, is easier with a friend.

When you work out with a buddy, you have someone to push you, encourage you and motivate you. Many people find it hard to get motivated, and make excuses why they can't exercise today, or why they'll start eating healthy tomorrow or next week. With a friend who's going through the same thing as you, you can encourage each other and lend support, and if needed, give each other a proverbial kick in the behind to get going. It's also helpful to have someone to be accountable to — I find that when someone knows what my goals are, I work harder at sticking to them because I don't want to disappoint anyone. Losing weight should be first and foremost about you — your health, your self confidence, your well-being — but it does help knowing that at least one other person is there to hold you accountable. You're also less likely to cut corners knowing someone else is there.

Working out with a buddy is also often safer than working out alone. If walking is part of your regular routine, depending on where you live it may not be safe to go out walking alone. Going in pairs or even groups is safer. It's also good if you're working in a gym or with equipment at home to have a spotter — someone to check your form and be there if you need assistance or hurt yourself.

With a buddy at your side, you can gauge how hard you're working by doing what's called the breath test. Get a conversation going with your partner and pay attention to your breathing. If you're able to carry on a conversation with little to no effort, you might not be working hard enough and might want to pick up the pace a bit. On the other hand, if you can barely get a few words out because you're huffing and puffing and gasping for air, you need to slow down a bit. There's a happy medium and it may take time to find it, so don't get discouraged.

Another way a work-out buddy comes in handy relates to my first reason — motivation — but goes a step further to some healthy competition. If you and your work-out buddy have a little healthy competition going on like, say, you bet your friend you can walk more miles, or do more sit-ups, or last longer on the elliptical — you can use that competitive spirit to push each other. Many people won't push themselves past what they see as their own limits, but with a little nudge they might be amazed at their own capabilities.

There are endless reasons that having a work-out buddy is a good idea. Everyone likes knowing that they have support and encouragement while trying to accomplish a difficult task, overcoming unhealthy habits and making life-altering changes both big and small. A buddy can lend the support you need, while empathizing with your situation. Most people who have tried to lose weight have gone through the same experiences — set-backs, lack of motivation, lack of energy, questioning their decisions — so having someone by your side to share these experiences with makes an often-difficult journey that much easier.

Copyright Marie Landry. Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.

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