Working Out: Why It's Better Together

There are loads of reasons why working up a sweat together is a win/win for you and your partner, good friend or workout buddy form added support and motivation to boosting happy hormones and working towards shared lifestyle goals.   I met Christine Wong, Barre Buddy and Claudia Howard, Barre Trainer at The Barre Studio.  I have made many Barre friends.

1. Mutual motivation

If you've made a gym date with your significant other, you will more likely to stick with it.  When you exercise together, you can keep each other accountable, motivate each other and celebrate every milestone along the way.

2. Trying new things
Been wanting to try a new workout that you haven't heard? Circuit Fit, Aeriel Yoga but haven't quite worked up the nerve? Rope in your workout buddy for some moral support – doing it together can give you the boost of confidence you need to give it your best go. And trying new and challenging activities together is a great way to keep things interesting.

3. More quality time
A training session doesn't exactly qualify as a date but it's still time spent doing something you both enjoy – with the added bonus that you'll be getting fit together. So mix things up by scheduling time to work up a PG-rated sweat together, along with the girls day out! Or my favourite - light breakfast after workout! 

4. Boosting feel-good chemicals
Exercise releases endorphins and helps to increase levels of dopamine and serotonin – all of which make for a happier and more relaxed you. Having those mood-boosting chemicals coursing through your body can only be a good thing for your relationship. And did we mention that exercise has a positive effect on sex drive, too?

5. Training support
Your workout buddy isn't your personal trainer, but working out together means you can check each other's form, make sure your alignment is correct, and generally help each other get the most out of each workout. Remember, the idea here is to provide positive feedback, not running commentary that could be mistaken for criticism.

A word of caution…
Working out together can be a wonderful way to share your passion for health and fitness – but remember to go at your own pace. Don't let an over-zealous sense of competition lead to injury as you try to keep up with your workout buddy who may be at a different fitness or strength level to yourself.