Exercise is important for our mental and physical wellbeing, but sometimes it can be hard to stay motivated on your own. That's why working out with other people can be such a great option. Whether you're taking group classes at Hardbat, or meet up with friends outside of the gym to do physical activity, the power of working out together can help you stay motivated and reap the benefits of exercise. Let’s explore some of the reasons why it feels so good to work out with other people.
Friendly Competition
The energy from working out in a group setting can be incredibly motivating—especially if there’s a friendly competition going on! This could literally mean competing against other people for the best time, most reps, etc., or it could just be an internal challenge to keep pushing yourself harder than ever before. Either way, friendly competition can help make exercise more fun and give you an extra boost when things get tough. Especially when it comes to our Level Method assessments, a little competitive edge can't hurt.
Accountability
When you’re part of a group, you’re much less likely to skip workouts because of peer pressure—in this case, peer pressure is actually a good thing! Having someone else depending on you to show up helps ensure that you actually make your workout sessions a priority. Think about the people you see everyday at the same class times. Our 9 AM class has a few people who literally will not miss a day! Additionally, if one member falls behind or has difficulty keeping up with everyone else in the group, they have the support and encouragement they need to stay committed and reach their goals.
A Sense of Community
It may sound cheesy, but there really is something special about exercising with others that helps create a strong sense of community. When everyone works together as a team towards a common goal (even if it’s just burning off those holiday cookies!) it helps foster collaboration and friendships in ways that solo workouts simply can’t match. It also makes exercising much more enjoyable; after all, it’s always more fun when you have someone to talk to while hitting some Zone 2 work on the bike or in between sets of heavy deadlifts.
Exercising alone is certainly beneficial for our health and wellbeing—but there are definite perks to having some company during workouts too! Working out with others encourages competitive spirit, provides accountability, and creates a sense of community among participants—all good reasons why it feels so good to work out together. So grab your friends or sign up for that gym class—you won't regret making time for some quality sweat-time with other people!
