By Evan Midford, Website & Social Media Coordinator
It can be difficult to maintain a healthy gym routine. When life gets busy often the first thing people choose to cut out is their workouts. In this process, we lose accountability, motivation, and sight of the goals we have set out for ourselves.
Working out with a gym buddy can help you avoid these lulls in your routine and increase the chance to crush your fitness goals.
Six Benefits of Workout Partners
It Keeps You Accountable
When you are by yourself, it’s easy to rush through your workout, leave early, or sleep in and not attend at all. Guilt is a huge motivator to not let your gym buddy down and show up to the gym. This goes both ways. It’s a hand-in-hand process of re-motivating each other occasionally and consistently following a plan.
New Ideas
Maybe you have followed the same workout plan with the same exercises, reps, sets, and weight for a long time. This can become boring very quickly. It’s important to try new exercises, classes, and corners of the gym to keep your workouts fresh and something you can look forward to. A gym buddy can offer a new perspective on exercises, or give you the confidence to step out of your comfort zone and try a new class together.
It Creates Friendly Competition
Maybe you naturally have a competitive personality. Working out with a gym buddy can motivate you to push that extra step further than if you were working out alone. Neither person wants to fall behind, so you keep raising the bar.
It’s Safer
Exercising with a gym buddy is also an excellent way to be safe in the gym. If you are someone who lifts heavy weights, your gym buddy can spot you on the last few reps if you are struggling. It could also be as simple as pointing out improper form.
You’ll Have Fun
One of the most important aspects of a good workout routine is to enjoy what you are doing. You should always have fun in the gym. This is your time to strive for goals and earn a sense of accomplishment, make it your own! People who don’t enjoy their workouts are often going through the motions of their exercises without really receiving its benefits.
Working out with a gym buddy is a good way to laugh, smile, joke around, and have fun during your exercise. It’s also an opportunity to spend more time and build a deeper relationship with a friend or family member by reaching and hitting goals together.
It Can Be More Affordable Exercising With a Gym Buddy
Other than the ability to save money on car-pooling, equipment, or personal training, Sport Manitoba now offers a Buddy Pass.
Throughout January, the Sport Manitoba Fitness Centre is offering the chance for you and a gym buddy to both get a membership for $399 (each) for the year! If you already have a membership at our Fitness Centre, you can still bring a friend, and their membership is only $399!
These memberships also include a one-time free consultation with one of our personal trainers, unlimited access to the Fitness Centre, 100 class credits, and a discount on our fitness programs and workshops!
Finding a Gym Buddy
So now that you’ve learned the benefits of exercising with a gym buddy, how do you find one? Here are a few suggestions to help you get started.
Friends or Family Members
The easiest option is friends or family who might live nearby. You could start small by just suggesting to go on a walk together and build your way from there. However, this isn’t limited to just these two groups of people. It could be coworkers, classmates, mutual friends, neighbours or anyone who is striving towards a fitness goal like you.
Join a Facebook or Instagram Group
There are lots of different fitness pages and groups on social media. Winnipeg is filled with communities like these. Finding a group that shares your interests can help guide you to a potential gym buddy. It could be a running, tabata, crossfit, or weight training group, you’d be surprised at the variety.
Someone Who Already Attends Your Gym
There could already be someone looking for a gym buddy at your gym. All it takes is the first step. This could be as simple as sparking up a conversation in between sets or asking them to occasionally spot you. This is a more common situation than people think.
Interested in more gym membership information at Sport Manitoba’s Fitness Centre? Learn more at https://www.sportmanitoba.ca/fitness-centre/memberships/ or reach out to fitness@sportmanitoba.ca
