Working out is crucial to staying healthy and happy in your body, but finding the motivation to get up and get to the gym can be difficult. Instead of working out alone, try working out with friends. Workouts can quickly shift from a daunting or exhausting event to something to look forward to each day as a fun and sociable event. Keep reading to learn five ways why working out with friends can benefit your motivation, safety, and well-being.

1. Increased Motivation and Accountability Credit: Vitaly Gariev

Working out with friends can increase your motivation to keep going to the gym day after day. Exercising in a group or with a partner keeps you consistent, as more than just one person is relying on staying healthy. It also helps to have some healthy competition to do better with each workout, possibly even helping you increase weights and difficulty. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that workouts can turn into fun social gatherings to schedule into your day.

2. Mental and Emotional Benefits Credit: Vitaly Gariev

While working out is beneficial mentally and emotionally to being with, this impact is enhanced when working out with friends. Social interactions during exercise can help improve your mood and reduce overall stress in mind and body. Instead of relying on yourself, you can have someone else be your support system and personal hype man. Plus, bringing a friend could be perfect if your fitness studio offers a “duet” training package.

3. Enhanced Safety and Variety Credit: Land O’Lakes Inc.

Just like having someone spot you during bench presses and other difficult workouts, it’s nice to have someone with you the whole time to help with or prevent injuries. There’s nothing better than someone having your back, especially during exercise. Having a friend to work out with also improves your variety, introducing activities you may not have tried or chosen for yourself before.

4. Tracking Progress Together Credit: Luke Chesser

Not only can you do workouts together, but also set mutual goals, whether it’s calories burned, reps completed, or minutes spent on the treadmill. These goals can further cement the accountability and consistency of fitness, and keep you motivated to come back the next day. It also creates a supportive environment because you’re celebrating not only your own achievements but someone else’s, too.

5. Enjoy the Process Credit: Rendy Novantino

When working out with friends, it’s important to enjoy and celebrate the short-term as well as the long-term goals. You may not lose weight right away, but your mental health can improve and give you a more positive outlook on the rest of the day. By tuning into those positive feelings of strength, confidence, and solidarity, it will not only help with your mental health but also your physical health as you continue in your wellness journey.

Final Thoughts Credit: Vitaly Gariev

Working out with friends takes a somewhat arduous individual task and turns it into a fun exercise that keeps you accountable with your health. By finding joy in shared experiences, growth, and improving your strength, you can make fitness a rewarding and crucial part of your life. So, if you want to kickstart your fitness journey positively, grab a friend and get to working out today!