There are so many benefits of regular exercise, both physical and mental. The big question is; ‘How do you fix the issues that stop us exercising more regularly or more consistently?”, and especially in those darker, colder months.

There is one solution to this which is simply to ‘train with a buddy’. There have been numerous studies that show the benefits of training with a buddy and they have all concluded that this is a great way to keep up the consistency and achieve goals faster.

Training with a buddy, be that a friend, partner or family member will open a whole new world of possibilities for your consistency and motivation.

In this blog we are going to share with you six key benefits of training with a buddy:

1.   Get More from Your Workout – when you have your buddy to push you, and you them, then you will both benefit from that extra percent of effort and output. It may be because of the additional encouragement or maybe a competitive streak, but whatever works, this will see you getting those goals faster from that extra set, that extra 5kg, that extra KM you both run!

2.   Accountability – when there is a buddy that is counting on you to make that session on a cold night, or a time when your motivation is low, you are far less likely to pull out at the last minute. Locking in a time to train will also help as oppose to a loose plan like “let’s head to the gym over the weekend at some stage”. Lock it in, confirm it and don’t be late! The benefits to you and your buddy will be great!

3.   Give it a Go or You Just Won’t Know! – always wanted to try that X-Cell Class or Boot Camp but have never had the confidence just to jump on in and give it a go. With a buddy you have that familiar face to give you the confidence to try new thing. Before you know it, you have 8 more new buddies and suddenly you have opened up a whole new aspect to your gym and your training.

4.   Sharing Is Caring! – it’s hard to argue that sharing an activity or experience with a buddy is more fun that on your own. The same can be said for heading to the gym. Sharing Is Caring and no more so than when you are knuckling down and achieving goals with another person.

5.   Safety First – If you love your strength training then training with a buddy will create a safer environment for you, especially if you want to push yourself that little bit harder. Having a buddy means you have a permanent spotter to help you punch through that last few reps as you push towards your personal best.

6.   Cheaper Personal Training! – maybe you’ve always wanted to try personal training but shy away because the budget is a bit tight this month or you don’t feel comfortable. Well with a buddy it is always worth asking the personal trainers to train you together allowing you to split the cost of the session. Most will, and this will help you both to learn new techniques and accelerate the achievement of your goals.

Check out your local gym to see if you can train with a buddy for free. Many have incentives that encourage this like leading Australian Gym Chain Plus Fitness who offer their members a ‘Bring a Buddy Thursday’ allowing members to bring a friend for free during their staffed hours, every Thursday.