The Benefits of Exercising With Others

In the world of exercise, it's always nice to have a partner or companion to motivate you. Be it a life partner, close friend, child, or pet, there are benefits for both parties when you go out for a nice exercise. However, in order to maximize this motivation, you will have to plan accordingly, and understand that all of your potential exercise partners will have needs and wants of their own. Here are some of the things you may experience when exercising with a particular partner. We’ll dive into the benefits, and potential things to be aware of before you go out for a run or hit the gym.

With a Friend

One way to build a friendship is to exercise together. Friends are a big source of motivation, and usually come with the least amount of judgment. When exercising with friends, it’s a good idea to plan ahead. Planning ahead keeps you both on the same clock. If one of you needs more specific attention, be it for weight loss or training, then you can allocate that time accordingly without bringing it up in the spur of the moment. Friends make great spotters when weightlifting, and are extra protection when out on a public walk. You need to provide that same level of protection when out with someone in order for this routine to become successful.

With a Life Partner

Exercising with your partner is on a similar tier to working out with a friend. However, there is much more intimacy and usually more understanding of goals. By now, you’ve probably understood each other’s schedules, and motivations. However, your communication should still be the most important thing. If your partner wants you to look a particular way, it might be worth examining why before you go and do so. Ensuring that you still have control over your decisions, while making compromises that benefit both of you is a reachable goal for those wanting to exercise together.

With Your Child

This typically applies to going on walks or runs. If you have an infant that is able to go out in a stroller, make sure to walk at a brisk pace, but not too fast in order to not disturb your child. It gives you much needed exercise after your pregnancy. If you decide to work out with your toddler, make sure to plan your route. You’ll want to bring enough water to keep them hydrated, and plan for breaks. While exercise is important for a young age, a good rule of thumb would be no more than an hour. You don’t want to push your child over the limit. When your child becomes a teenager or young adult, that is when this routine can become normalized, and the work you put in prior has become a great bond between parent and child.

With Your Pet

We don’t expect you to be weight lifting with your fish, or doing yoga with your hamster, but for owners of dogs or cats there are many ways for you to spend time with your furry creature. Pets provide happiness to their owners, and one way to keep them healthy is to bring them on walks with you. It bonds them to you, and gives them some much needed time out of the house. Exercising with your pets isn’t limited to just walks. You can create activities with your pet, such as throwing a ball or frisbee. Or, for dog owners especially, take them for a swim. These little gestures mean a lot for your animal, and it makes your exercise more fun. That happiness goes a long way toward achieving your goals and helps with mental health.

Exercising With Strangers

There is a bit of a risk factor when exercising with a group of new people. Be it a running group, who you may not be on the same pace with, or meeting in yoga or aerobics classes, you don’t know what you’re going to get. However, spending time in these classes, showing up and being surrounded by people with similar goals is still a big motivator. In order to make friends, you can sit back for a few classes, and strike up a conversation after the fact. You can use the applied benefits of a friendship in order to take you and your new friends out of the classroom to focus more on each other and build that bond.

We hope that you feel inspired to exercise with someone in your life, or meet someone new to help give you the motivation to meet your exercise goals.

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