How To Find A Workout Buddy

For some women, working out solo is treasured me-time - a chance to quiet the noise of the world and focus on yourself. For others, it can feel hard to sustain motivation or have fun when working out alone. 

One way to combat this is to find a workout partner! Having a workout buddy has plenty of perks: it’s someone who can keep you motivated, on track, and won’t let you bail when you’re considering skipping the session - not to mention the added fun, laughs, encouragement and friendly competition they offer.

The best part? Your workout can double up as a friendly catch-up, which means you get your exercise in and have quality time with your friend. Win-win!

How to find a workout partner

If you’re keen to make your Sweat sessions more social, finding a workout buddy starts with one simple action: asking if anyone would be interested! You could start by asking your friends, family or colleagues if they want to partner up with you to exercise, or even mention it in a social media post. You might be surprised by how many people respond!

It helps to mention if you already have a certain training style you’re following or are interested in trying, but if not, joining forces with a workout buddy is an awesome chance to start something new together. 

If you enjoy exercising out on your own but want to feel motivated and supported by an amazing community in between each workout, why not join a fitness group online? 

Whether the group is specific to a style of exercise or a program, joining a group of like-minded people such as the Sweat Community means you instantly have something in common to discuss and bond over, with the added bonus of encouragement, inspiration and advice which can all take your fitness journey to a new level. 

You might feel empowered being part of a community of women from around the world, or perhaps your inspiration comes from knowing other women working out in your state, city or region. 

If you find the group you’re looking for doesn’t exist, you could consider starting your own or creating a post in the Community tab of the Sweat app. It could lead to incredible friendships and a fantastic support network. Many women in the Sweat Community have become lifelong friends!

How to make the most of a workout buddy

Don’t worry if you can’t meet up in person

If you’re working out at home, live in different areas or can’t meet up in person, you and your workout partner can still train together! Work out together over a video call or simply at the same time of day to hold each other accountable — your location doesn’t need to be a barrier.

Plan your sessions

Whether you live together or across borders, working out together requires communication and planning. At the start of each week, it can be a good idea to choose times that work for both of you and decide if you’re meeting in person, virtually or simply checking in before and after your Sweat session. If you’re meeting in person, make sure you’ve planned where you’ll be working out and ensure it’s a space big enough for both of you, plus any equipment you’ll be using.

The Planner feature in the Sweat app is a great way to schedule the sessions you want to do with your workout partner!

Because everyone has different lifestyles and schedules, finding a workout buddy can also be a great way to change up your routine and keep things interesting. You could try working out first thing in the morning, meeting on your lunch break to re-energise for the afternoon ahead, or block out time at the end of the day to wind down or blow off some steam, depending on what type of workout you’re in the mood for! 

Try a few different times to see what works best for both you and your workout partner. It’s a great way to spend time with a friend no matter where they are!

Take it outside

If you live in a small spacethat isn’t big enough for two, why not try an outdoor workout together? Exercising outdoors can be a great way to make your workouts social, enjoy a change of environment and reap the benefits of time spent in nature! 

Whether you opt for a local park or travel a little further for a change of scenery — beach or lakeside can be great options — an outdoor workout is also good for your mind as well as your vitamin D intake.

Take a yoga mat along for any movements where you touch the ground and try to find areas with steps or benches if you’re doing exercises such as incline push-ups, tricep dips, step ups and more. 

There are lots of ways to improvise if you’re exercising in the great outdoors with a friend  — simply look for safe places where you can roll out a fitness mat and do a workout together!

If you want to get in a low-intensity cardio workout, look for hiking trails or walks you can do together — having a great view at the end of your session is an amazing reward.

Share and be rewarded 

Speaking of rewards… Have you considered sharing your fitness journey on social media? Posting about your workouts online isn’t for everyone, but sharing your journey can be a great way to widen your network, hold yourself accountable, meet new people with similar interests, and celebrate your achievements and fitness goals. 

If you’ve already got a workout partner, posting about your Sweat sessions, shared goals or personal bests can attract new fitness friends, inspire others to get moving, or be a way to ensure you stick to your word. 

As your journey progresses, you’ll likely find yourself with your very own cheer squad, supporting your every move. 

Challenge each other 

Are you someone who thrives off a bit of healthy competition? 

Use that to your advantage by making a challenge for you and your buddy. It could be to smash a personal best, up the number of reps in a workout or do more steps in a day. Whether you’re trying to smash a target together or find it fun competing with each other, choose a challenge that is specific to you and your friend and in line with your fitness goals. As the saying goes - if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

You could each take turns in choosing your workouts or the focus of the training session will be — you might decide one session is all about glutes, while your friend plans an at-home ab workout the next time you exercise together. 

Want to Sweat together? Invite your friend to join the same Sweat program as you by using the "Sweat with a friend" button — you'll see it when you earn a trophy or in the profile section of the app.

The trick is to make your workouts fun and exciting to keep you feeling interested and motivated to show up each day.

Your workout partner is waiting for you!

No matter how or when you connect with your workout buddy, the key is to have fun, build each other up and hold each other accountable as you make progress on your fitness journey.

Looking for more ways to get the most out of your workouts? Check out the top workout tips from our Sweat Trainers!