Research consistently shows that working out with someone else makes you try harder, stay longer, and enjoy it more. We didn't need a study to tell us that — but it's nice to have the backup. Whether you're bringing in a significant other, a friend, or a sibling you've been trying to get off the couch, here's how to make it a great session.
Why Partner Workouts Work
When someone is watching — or waiting on you to finish your set — you don't skip reps. You also tend to show up in the first place, because canceling on yourself is easy and canceling on another person requires an actual excuse. The accountability alone is worth it.
Six Partner Exercises Worth Doing
1. Alternating Medicine Ball Toss
Stand a few feet apart, toss a medicine ball back and forth while rotating at the core. It's deceptively good for your obliques and gets your heart rate up fast. Competitive people: keep score of drops. This becomes a game quickly.
2. Partner Plank Shoulder Taps
Both in a plank position facing each other. Alternate reaching out to tap your partner's opposite shoulder. The instability of reaching across forces both of you to stabilize harder. Whoever breaks form first buys coffee.
3. Resistance Band Rows (Back to Back)
Sit on the floor back to back, each holding one end of a resistance band. One person rows while the other provides resistance. Switch after 12 reps. Simple, effective, and requires exactly one piece of equipment.
4. Trade-and-Hold Squats
One person holds a wall sit or squat position while the other does a set of a different exercise — push-ups, jumping jacks, whatever. Switch when the set is done. The person holding has to keep going until their partner finishes. Nothing motivates faster reps.
5. Side-by-Side Cardio Intervals
Pick adjacent treadmills or bikes. Set the same resistance and time. Race each other, pace each other, or just share the misery in comfortable silence. Studies show people cycle longer and harder when someone is working out next to them. Get on the machine and see for yourself.
6. Take a Class Together
BODYCOMBAT, Zumba, BODYPUMP — group fitness classes are included in every YouFit membership, and taking one with someone you know makes it instantly less intimidating for both of you. If one of you is new to classes, you'll spend more time laughing than worrying about whether you're doing it right. That's a good thing.
A Few Ground Rules for Working Out Together
- Agree on the goal before you arrive. One person wants a chill 30-minute session; the other wants a two-hour training day. Mismatched expectations make for a bad workout and a quiet drive home.
- Encourage, don't coach. Unless your partner has specifically asked for form feedback, keep it positive. "You've got this" lands better than "you're doing it wrong."
- It's okay to split up for part of it. Do your separate routines, meet for a partner circuit at the end. You don't have to spend every minute together to get the benefits of accountability.
Guests are always welcome at YouFit. Bring someone in — your first visit together might become a regular thing.
