Find A Workout Buddy And Boost Your Fitness Journey

Making changes to your routine to live a healthier lifestyle isn't always easy. 

These decisions can include choosing healthier meals and making time to exercise, and they can represent big shifts in the way you live your life. Even though these are ultimately positive changes, it can still be difficult to stick with your health and fitness journey — having a network to support you can be SO important when it comes to staying on track as you work towards your goals. 

Like-minded friends can make it easier for you to make permanent changes to your life. That’s why a workout buddy — whether you train with them virtually or in-person — might make all the difference. They can be there to encourage your progress, help keep you accountable and to make training more enjoyable!

Jump to:

• How to find a workout buddy
• Turn to the community
• Ask someone at work or school
• What to look for in a workout buddy
• Someone who is positive
• Someone who understands your goals
• Someone who will motivate you

How to find a workout buddy

The first thing you need to do to find out a workout buddy is to ask someone! 

When you’re ready to exercise with a friend, there are a few different places and ways you can locate a workout buddy.

Turn to the Sweat Community

The amazing Sweat Community can be a source of support, no matter where you are in the world. You can connect with the Community via my social media accounts or joining the Sweat Forum — no matter which way you choose, you will find incredible, like-minded women who are ready to help you on your fitness journey. My goal starting the community was to create a space where women can connect with others through fitness — no matter who you are, or where you live, you can find someone to share your experiences with.

Whether you’re just starting out or you already have a solid routine, the more support you have, the greater your chance of success when it comes to achieving your goals. Together, you can offer fitness motivation to each other to show up and give your all for each workout. 

Even if you like to work out solo, having people to check in with can give you an extra push. An encouraging word can make a huge difference throughout your fitness journey, especially on a bad day. 

Ask someone from work or school

A colleague or someone in your classes is likely to already have one thing in common with you: their schedule. This can make it easier to create a regular workout habit around your shared timetable! 

You might already know a coworker or someone from school who is interested or who has spoken about their fitness. So, don’t be afraid to ask around — you might find other women who are happy to join you for a workout.

What to look for in a workout buddy

We’ve all been there: you’re lacking motivation, and feeling a bit self-conscious about going to the gym or working out by yourself. One of the best things ways to overcome these situations is having a friend there to help you! I love working out with a friend because it can be really beneficial and fun. You don’t even need to be in the same space — you can actually train together virtually by connecting over a video call!

However, when you are in need of a workout buddy, you should choose them carefully. I think there are qualities that you should look for in your workout partner. Having someone to exercise with will not only help you get the most out of your training, it will also give them the same benefits!

Pick someone who is positive

There is nothing worse than training with a friend who complains about everything. You’re exercising to get your sweat on and work hard! If someone is being negative and has the wrong attitude, it can be really hard to get in the zone. You also don’t want someone who is going to put you down rather than giving constructive advice.

My top tip is to pick that one friend who you know has a “go for it” attitude. This way when the going gets tough, they are there to encourage you to push through it rather than quit!

Someone who understands your goals

One key element to having a successful partnership with your workout buddy is their understanding of your goals. This is super important because if they understand what you’re doing and why you’re doing it, then they can be a better training partner. It can be really frustrating trying to work out with someone who is simply on the latest fitness fad for the week or is only interested in having a good chat.

It is important you and your workout buddy have aligned goals so you can both motivate and support each other with your training sessions. Not everyone is going to want to exercise the same way, but if you both want to do it for the right reasons, then that's a great start!

Someone who will motivate you

Even though motivation can be a fleeting feeling, having a good workout buddy can really help to make the most of it. We all have friends who might unintentionally derail your health and fitness journey, even if they are keen to be your workout buddy. You might want to consider finding someone who is ready to dish a little “tough love” when needed and get you out of bed when you really don’t want to. This doesn't mean they should be mean to you; they should be there to encourage you to always do your best!

Your workout buddy is waiting for you!

Now you know how and where to find an amazing workout buddy, what are you waiting for? You could even invite a friend to join your Sweat program using the "Sweat with a friend" button — you'll see it when you earn a trophy or in the profile section of the app.

Remember that you’ll be spending a bit of time with this person, and it is a kind of partnership — so choose wisely! Your workout buddy should be someone you have fun with, helps you to track your progress, and offers support on days when you need a boost. 

You could even try training with a few different workout buddies to keep it interesting and stay on track with your health and fitness journey!