Better Together! How Working Out with Friends Boosts Your Results

Physique 57

June 8, 2021

Happy National Best Friends Day! Hug your friends extra tight today — or catch up over FaceTime — and tell them how much they mean to you!

In honor of Best Friends Day, we also want to recognize the benefits of working out with friends by your side. Your girlfriends can also be your accountability partners and cheerleaders as you go after your fitness goals.

We’re sharing 6 science-backed ways that exercising with a fitness community can boost your motivation and enhance your performance.

Remember, we are all friends here at Physique 57! Every time you take a workout class — whether in the studio or On Demand — you’re surrounded by a supportive family who always has your back. Get ready to rock your workouts…with a little help from your friends!

How Working Out With Friends Boosts Your Fitness Results

Motivates you to work out longer

Research by the Society of Behavioral Medicine found that when people worked out with a partner or in a team format, they doubled their workout time compared to those who exercised alone ¹. We’re always motivated to push through our 57-minute workouts when we’re surrounded by friendly faces!

Makes you challenge yourself

A positive form of peer pressure! Seeing others perform well actually pushes you to work harder. In a study, people who did a plank with a more capable partner by their side increased their plank time by 24 percent ². When you see a friend or someone in class crushing a move, let that inspire you and give you something to work toward.

Helps you stay consistent

As you know, consistency is essential to getting the best results. Research found that when people started a weight loss program with friends, 95 percent of them completed the program, compared to 76 percent completion rate for those who did the program solo ³. This works for exercise programs and challenges too!

Releases more endorphins

We know that exercise activates the production of endorphins, brain chemicals that naturally boost mood, relieve stress, and ease pain ⁴. (Learn more about how barre boosts your mood.) But did you know you release even more endorphins when you do your sweat sesh with a group? One reason is that working out with friends or feeling the energy of an amazing group class makes you smile — and research shows that smiling actually boosts endorphins ⁵.

Soothes stress

People who cycled for 30 minutes with a friend reported feeling calmer than those who biked alone, according to a study ⁶. It’s that feeling of balance and peace you get when you leave a great group class!

And most importantly, it’s FUN!

This one sounds so simple, but having fun is key to motivating yourself and staying consistent in your workout routine. When you leave a fitness class with a huge smile on your face, you’ll be ready to come back for more! Science backs this up: A study from the University of Southern California found that when people worked out with friends, they said they enjoyed the exercise more ⁷.

Try These Simple Ways To Lean On Your Friends

Schedule a workout date

Book a workout date with a friend to take a class in the studio or do the same On Demand routine. Put this in your calendar and treat it like any other commitment with a friend — you wouldn’t cancel dinner or happy hour plans at the last minute, would you? A workout date is just as important or more!

Invite your girls to do the Invigorate Program with you

The only way to make this program even better is to do it with a friend by your side! In this 21-day summer challenge, we’ll have brand new workouts, exclusive live events, weekly prizing, and vacay vibes! The challenge kicked off yesterday, but it’s not too late to join and invite a friend. Join us here.

Connect on social

Make sure you’re following us on Instagram @Physique57 and request to join the Physique 57 Community Facebook group. Use these platforms to connect with new friends in the fitness community. Comment on posts, tag us in your sweaty selfies, and DM other people in the Physique 57 fam to find accountability partners.

Check in with each other

Start group texts or DMs with your exercise accountability partners. Let each other know when you rocked a workout or reached a goal. You can also lean on each other for extra motivation and support when you need a pick-me-up.

Remember, we’re always here to cheer you on!

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