As if it weren’t enough to think about how often you go to the gym, how intense your workout should be and (of course) what to wear, there is now research to show that who you exercise with is a crucial part of a successful fitness routine.
According to scientists at the University of Pittsburgh, women who exercised with a training “buddy” lost 33% more weight than those who did not. Similarly, Arizona State University found that men lifted considerably heavier weights in training if they regularly exercised with someone else.
The good news is that this means you don’t have to fork out for a personal trainer. Simply exercising with a friend could enhance your results significantly — proof that peer pressure can sometimes be a wonderful thing. The fear of falling behind your training buddy could spur you on to higher levels and new challenges. At worst, it will ensure that you make it to the gym more often, as you won’t want to miss an appointment with a friend and let them down. Without that arrangement, a glass of wine and Big Brother might prove a greater lure than the treadmill.
However, working out with a friend is not a fail-safe route to better results. If you are fitter than your workout buddy, you may not be testing your fitness boundaries. So, while it may feel good to have the upper hand during training sessions, if you are not challenging your body, your fitness levels won’t improve.
The key, therefore, is to find a partner with similar goals. Talk about your aims and write them down, so that you both understand what you are working towards. And try to establish their fitness level before suggesting that you work together. For example, if they run, ask how far or how fast. This will give you a better idea of whether the two of you will be compatible.
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It may sound excessive, but devoting time and effort to finding the right workout buddy is well worth it. Get it wrong and you risk spoiling a friendship; get it right and the benefits to your fitness will be huge.