7 Reasons You Should Work Out With an Exercise Partner
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What to Know About Working Out With an Exercise Partner

What to Know About Working Out With an Exercise Partner
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Updated on October 21, 2025
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Many things are better when done with friends, including exercise. Research shows that working out with a pal can boost your results and improve your experience on multiple levels. But perhaps the biggest reason to team up is that it helps you stick with it.

“For those who often find themselves avoiding or procrastinating a workout, having an exercise partner definitely makes it easier to get there,” says Mary Ann Covey, a licensed psychologist in College Station, Texas.

Exercising with a partner can improve both your body and attitude. Don’t have a buddy in mind? Learn more about how to find one, how to build a good relationship, and what workouts to engage in together.

Graphic titled, Why You Should Have a Workout Buddy Image of two women stretching in the middle of the graphic. Bullet points listed include, less likely to injure yourself, decreases stress, helps you stay accountable, pushes you to work harder
Everyday Health

The Benefits of an Exercise Partner

Working out with a regular plus-one provides both accountability and increased motivation, but it has the power to do more than that. Covey points out that having a walking partner, for example, can greatly increase your enjoyment of the activity, improve your bond with the person, and boost your mental health.

Increased Commitment

It’s no secret that motivation is one of the hardest elements to establish when you’re leaning into a regular exercise routine. Deciding to make this commitment with someone else can help give you the stick-to-itiveness you need.

“Each of you comes to count on the other; each holds the other accountable,” says Steven Head, CSCS, a personal trainer, strength coach, and yoga teacher in McLean, Virginia.

And the workout partner doesn’t need to be a pal to be effective — it can be a romantic partner too. One study of younger adults found that people who worked out with their sweetheart improved both their exercise routine and their relationship.

May Help Reduce Anxiety and Improve Mood

Spending time with a friend is a no-brainer mood booster, and when you can pair that with exercise, all the better.

 Not only can friendship improve your headspace, the act of exercising itself can too. According to some studies, regular exercise can be as effective as medication for some people who experience anxiety and stress.

It Lowers Your Risk of Injury or Harm

Working out with a partner can help you stay safe in the gym or when you’re exercising outdoors. During certain activities, like weight lifting, an exercise partner can help you slow down and focus on form, which is critical for both safety and effectiveness. The National Academy of Sports Medicine notes that using a spotter when working with heavy weights maximizes safety and decreases the risk of injury.

 There’s also safety in numbers when you’re out on a run, so having a pal with you can help protect you from strangers you encounter.

How to Find an Exercise Partner

The easiest way to find an exercise partner is to check in with a friend, spouse, coworker, or neighbor to gauge their interest in it, but you can be creative with who your workout partner may be. If you can’t find a go-to partner in your inner circle, there are other ways to find one. There is no one set formula for who you'll click with, but you may want to ask around.

“Have you seen someone at the gym in the classes you take or who has a similar routine with weight training?” asks Covey. She does caution, however, that you probably don't want to disturb people who always wear earbuds and don’t engage in small talk.

There are also several apps and websites that can provide an assist. Keep in mind when you’re searching these sites that if you don’t know someone well — or at all — you should meet in public places, like a private or public gym, and don’t share any more personal information than you need to.

  • FitFriends, which also lets you schedule workouts with other members
  • Fit-Buddy, which helps connect you with local people who also exercise regularly
  • Facebook, which has local groups pages you can join to find an exercise buddy
  • Meetup, which helps you find people with similar interests

How to Build an Exercise Partnership

Being a great workout partner is more than just showing up, though that’s a big part of it. Here are some other important ways you can contribute to a long-lasting and productive workout partnership:

  • Meet with your partner at agreed-upon times, and try not be late.
  • Stay positive and encouraging to your partner.
  • Set goals together to work on.
  • Be ready to assist your partner, not just with squats, but with helping them realize when they may be getting dehydrated or need a rest.
  • Stay focused when together, putting away unnecessary distractions.
  • Help challenge them and push them within their limits. “Know your body and what you have found works for you, but don’t be afraid to try new things,” Covey adds.

Exercises to Do With a Gym Buddy

Many of these activities don’t require two people, but they may be more enjoyable with a partner:

  • Biking
  • Walking
  • Jogging/running
  • Tennis, racketball, or pickleball
  • Hiking
  • Yoga
If you have a partner but are looking for new ideas on how to exercise together, try some of these exercises that are done in tandem:

  • Plank high fives: Position your bodies in a line with your heads near each other. Alternate lifting one hand up and giving your partner a high five while you hold your plank.
  • Medicine ball toss: Stand a few feet apart and alternate between squatting and catching with your partner. As you squat, toss the ball to your partner, then stand to catch the ball from your partner as they squat down.
  • Push-up high fives: Same basic setup as a plank high five, but instead of holding a plank, you do push-ups between high fives.
  • Medicine ball pass: Standing or sitting back to back, alternate holding the medicine ball in front of you, twisting your core, and passing the ball to your partner. Twist in the other direction and take the ball from your partner. Continue passing the ball, rotating your core back and forth while sitting or standing back to back.
  • Traditional weight lifting: Do not discount the simple practice of lifting weights with a partner. Head notes that “a partner or a trainer can push you to work just a little harder than you might push yourself, further optimizing results or progress.”

The Takeaway

  • Adding a workout partner to your regular exercise routine can have many positive impacts, including helping both of you achieve your fitness goals, avoiding injury, and improving your mood and stress levels.
  • If you need a workout partner, there are several apps or websites to help connect you with someone beyond your own social or family circle. Finding one who’s workout goals and exercise style are similar to yours can help you build a successful partnership.
  • Several exercises lend themselves well to having a working out buddy, including cardio (like running or jogging), recreational sports (like tennis), and strength training at the gym.
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Reyna Franco, RDN

Medical Reviewer
Member of American College of Lifestyle Medicine

Reyna Franco, RDN, is a New York City–based dietitian-nutritionist, certified specialist in sports dietetics, and certified personal trainer. She is a diplomate of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and has a master's degree in nutrition and exercise physiology from Columbia University.

In her private practice, she provides medical nutrition therapy for weight management, sports nutrition, diabetes, cardiac disease, renal disease, gastrointestinal disorders, cancer, food allergies, eating disorders, and childhood nutrition. To serve her diverse patients, she demonstrates cultural sensitivity and knowledge of customary food practices. She applies the tenets of lifestyle medicine to reduce the risk of chronic disease and improve health outcomes for her patients.

Franco is also a corporate wellness consultant who conducts wellness counseling and seminars for organizations of every size. She taught sports nutrition to medical students at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, taught life cycle nutrition and nutrition counseling to undergraduate students at LaGuardia Community College, and precepts nutrition students and interns. She created the sports nutrition rotation for the New York Distance Dietetic Internship program.

She is the chair of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine's Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist Member Interest Group. She is also the treasurer and secretary of the New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, having previously served in many other leadership roles for the organization, including as past president, awards committee chair, and grant committee chair, among others. She is active in the local Greater New York Dietetic Association and Long Island Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, too.

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Jenna Fletcher

Jenna Fletcher

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Jenna Fletcher is a writer with many years of experience in the health and wellness space. She is based in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, where prior to transitioning to writing, Jenna taught group fitness classes, Pilates mat classes, and dance classes, and was a personal trainer. She is very interested in general health and wellness, but since experiencing a stillborn twin, Jenna has written extensively about women's health issues, including pregnancy complications and mental healthcare. Her work has appeared on a variety of outlets across the web including HuffPost, Insider, Medical News Today, Healthline, and more.

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Resources
  1. Sackett-Fox K et al. Better Together: The Impact of Exercising With a Romantic Partner. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. April 27, 2021.
  2. Friendships: Enrich Your Life and Improve Your Health. Mayo Clinic. October 15, 2024.
  3. Exercise for Stress and Anxiety. Anxiety & Depression Association of America.
  4. Implementing Safe and Effective Training Methods. National Academy of Sports Medicine.
  5. Better Together: 9 Partner Exercises. YMCA of Middle Tennessee.