Going to the gym can be a nerve-wracking experience, especially the first couple of times. Sometimes it can feel as if everybody else knows so much more than you, or is so much further down their fitness journey.
The truth of the matter is that they may, or may not be, however, what we can be sure of is that they too will have suffered from that same feeling of inadequacy when they first walked into the gym, however they managed to overcome it, much in the same way that you can too.
That feeling of inadequacy or insecurity can make it all that easier to decide to skip the gym. Now, this isn’t to say that taking a rest day is bad, or learning to listen to your body’s needs and wants should be ignored, however, the motive for not wanting to go to the gym should be understood.
If you find it hard to get up the motivation for going to the gym, a gym buddy could make a massive difference in helping to inspire and push you further.
Setting plans and sticking to them
It’s always easy to cancel or change plans when you’re by yourself, however, if you know that there is someone else waiting and counting on you to turn up as arranged, this makes it a lot harder to get out of. Being reliable for your gym buddy will also help get you into a gym routine, carving out a time in your schedule to dedicate to your health and well-being, with no room for excuses.
How to choose a gym buddy …
It might not be such an easy choice to make, as your first reaction may be to search out a super close friend to go to the gym with. This can work, however, you may find that your best friends are more lenient on you than a slightly more distant acquaintance. A best friend might allow you to cry off when you’re not feeling well (read hungover). However what you really need is to find someone who won’t accept empty excuses, and will help you to attain your goals, holding you to account in a way that a close friend or family member might not.
Variety
Gym buddies are also awesome for providing different ideas. When you’re working out with someone else it means that you’ll have to incorporate both of your preferred sports and activities in order to obtain your individual and mutual fitness goals. By including both people’s preferences you’ll be naturally incorporating a form of cross-training. From a training point of view this is fantastic as sports are exercise specific, meaning that just because someone has amazing stamina as a runner, they won’t as a cyclist. Different sports diversify your training and make your body work harder by training different muscles, and improving your agility. A varied workout experience will (hopefully!) mean trying out new and enjoyable activities.
Competition
Even the most uncompetitive person enjoys a win now and again, having a gym buddy gives you someone to compete with, you’ll both push each other to do your best you’ll also most likely see results faster due to training smarter and pushing harder. That slight edge of competitiveness will help you make the most out of every session and really allow you to push yourself as much as possible.
Although not all of us enjoy having a gym buddy, if you’re finding yourself lacking motivation for going to the gym, or find yourself skipping it more than you feel you should, give it a go, and see if having a gym buddy really helps to motivate you to reach those fitness goals faster.