Should I Workout With Friends Or Alone?

Any kind of physical activity is vital to staying healthy and lowering our chances of chronic diseases. Working out alone and at one's own pace is the way to go for many people. Solo workouts enable people to exercise at any time, whenever they want, on their terms — while others can’t ever work up the motivation to work out alone and always need a buddy to push them! In this article, we break down the benefits of working out by yourself versus in a group and which route is preferred for you to get to your destination of a fit and active lifestyle!

Advantages of a solo workout

Let’s be real — as we grow older, we have less and less time and patience to adjust our daily life according to other people’s schedules. For many, solo workouts are the only way to go! When you’re by yourself, you can work out for as long as you like, without the pressure of under or over-performing based on someone else’s capacities. Working out alone means people can move at their own pace and easily incorporate fitness plans into their schedule. Whether it is just running or finding your own space in a gym, solo workouts accompany various benefits ranging from empowerment to focus. Not only can you work out on your own time, without any added fear of competing with a fitter friend, but it also eliminates the feelings of others judging your progress or making fun of how clumsy you are. The only person you are striving to perform better than is yourself!

Advantages of a group workout

While solo workouts are undoubtedly advantageous, a research study in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association implies that group workouts are more helpful in boosting overall well-being and health. As per the University of New England investigators, group workouts can reduce stress by 26% and refine the quality of life. Another research study in the Journal of Social Science suggests that exercising in groups with people of similar goals and mindsets can encourage you to work out harder. The rise of group workout gyms and events undoubtedly represents this growing trend of harnessing the power of working out in collectives. Group workouts encourage people to stay motivated to get fitter, seeing others constantly hitting their goals, and it also helps reduce stress associated with weight loss, for instance. This is because people working out in a group benefit from the distraction of a social setting.

Working out alone or in a group: which is better for you?

Despite the many advanced benefits of working out in a group, it can often be hard to incorporate into a schedule for some people — especially given our fast-paced lives. So, while group workouts can effectively boost our fitness and mental health, solo and group workouts bring many benefits and are suitable for different purposes. Which one of the two is better for you ultimately depends on your preferences and fitness goals. But we recommend you hit your friends up at least once a week for a group workout to get the maximum benefits of both forms of working out!