5 ways to motivate your friend to exercise with you

Let's face it - exercising can be tedious when done alone. However, when you call up your buddy and drag them along, it can become exciting, sociable, and...achievable!

Research has shown that having a workout buddy can not only be the perfect opportunity to catch up with a friend, but it also provides a boost in motivation, constructive encouragement and an amplification of your overall fitness regime. 

So, the first step would be to drag your gym buddy along with you to your next gym session. Here are five ways to motivate and inspire your friend to exercise with you:

Share the benefits of exercising with a friend

Convincing a friend to join can sometimes be hard work! To make it easier on you, call out the benefits of exercising to your friend.

For example, research shows that having a workout buddy can increase accountability and motivation with any exercise program. Mentioning these benefits to your friend can be a huge motivator for even the biggest fitness sceptic.

Also, don't forget to mention that working out with a friend can make exercise more fun because you can socialise, share tips, and encourage each other to push harder.

Plan a fun and challenging workout

Working out with a friend means your workouts can get even spicier. Plan a fun and challenging routine you and your friend can enjoy, making sure to change it up from time to time. This could be a circuit training workout, a high-intensity interval training (HIIT), or any group fitness class.

At Virgin Active, we make it easy to change up your routine with our fun-filled group fitness classes for every buddy (see what we did there?).

Make it a social experience

Exercising with a friend can be a social experience, benefiting your physical and mental health. A study published found that working out with a partner can boost enjoyment, reduce stress, and improve mood.

Looking for new fitness friends and social experiences? Try joining a local community meetup group (like meetup.com or Facebook community groups) and look for opportunities to join a charity fun run or community-led fitness groups in your area.

Create a sense of friendly competition

Friendly competition can be a great way to motivate your friend to exercise with you. According to research, competition actually increases motivation and improves performance in exercise.

By creating a sense of competition, such as tracking your progress or challenging each other to beat a specific time or distance, you'll be more likely to stay committed and motivated to your fitness goals.

Offer support and encouragement

Lastly, offering support and encouragement to your friend can go a long way in motivating them to exercise with you.

Social support can increase exercise accountability and help individuals overcome barriers to exercise. In addition, being a supportive and encouraging fitness buddy will help your friend reach their fitness goals and strengthen your friendship. A win-win!

So you see, there’s plenty of gym buddy advantages and you’ve got 5 new ways to talk your friends into joining you. And what a perfect chance to take advantage of our Buddy Month offer! Invite your buddy to join you for a club visit and a sweat session - if they join, you both get 8 weeks half price*. Nice!

*T&Cs apply. #BuddyMonth only available in April, 2023.