We all know that working out with a mate is better, but how do you know which mate to ask?

There are many factors that contribute to a successful gym partnership. Your gym buddy could be a friend, family member or work colleague. There are no rules, and you can have more than one gym buddy; your week could consist of a yoga class on a Monday morning with your friend Jane and a gym floor weights session with your sister Michelle on a Tuesday night – make it work for you.

Similar goals

While it is absolutely ok to have different goals to your gym buddy, having opposing goals can be counterproductive to your fitness journey. If your goal is to tone up in Pilates, but your mate wants to train for a marathon – one of you will be left disappointed. Try to pick someone who is interested in similar fitness activities as you.

Similar fitness levels

While not essential, two training partners who have extremely different fitness levels may run into difficulties. Try to choose a gym buddy who is at a similar stage to you (or a little ahead) so you can work together to achieve your fitness goals.

Similar schedule

If you work 9am-5pm and your friend works nights and weekends, it may be difficult to find a time that works for you both. Try to choose a workout buddy who has a similar work and life schedule who wants to work out as often as you do.

Respect

It’s important to train with someone who respects you. The gym environment can become competitive, some light-hearted competition is always fun, but you want to ensure your fitness friend is respectful and has boundaries.

Fun

Choosing someone who you can have a laugh with will leave you coming back for more. Working out can be hard, so a sense of humour is essential to making the time pass quickly.

Hot Tip: When choosing a new workout partner, do not overcommit too early. Our team at the reception desk will happily give you a complimentary pass so you can bring your friend along to trial the gym (and test out your gym training compatibility together) before committing to a regular training schedule together.