Keeping Up With the Fitness Buddy

By now, we're familiar with the benefits of exercise: it helps with weight management and lowers risks of lifestyle diseases like Type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. It also helps to reduce stress and improve mood.

But did you know that exercising with others brings additional social and health benefits?

Benefits of a Workout Buddy

Having a workout partner who's working towards the same fitness goals as you—like losing that spare tire, reducing your body fat or hitting 10K steps daily—will give you added motivation. Workout routines are also a lot more fun when you're doing it with a friend.

Plus, when you're feeling lazy and want to lepak, it helps to have someone pushing and cheering you on. Your workout buddy also keeps you accountable to your workout plans.

Say you planned a morning hike at the MacRitchie Reservoir TreeTop Walk with a friend. Or perhaps you've agreed to spot each other when you're lifting weights at the gym this Sunday.

You'll think twice about hitting the snooze button: you don't want to pang seh (abandon) your buddy, do you?

If you have more than one buddy, try team sports. Playing in a team can help with your social and mental well-being and build teamwork. Alternatively, you can always get a foot into the community by searching up online local-based interest groups and potentially meet like-minded fitness enthusiasts  who like the same type of exercise!

Now let's look at some ideas to get you and your kakis moving!

Set Buddy Goals

Set exercise goals with your workout buddy: this gives you something to focus on and work towards.

Make sure your goals are SMART — Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound.

• For example, a SMART goal example should look like: I want to build my cardiorespiratory fitness by jogging for 30 minutes, three days a week (2 weekday evenings, 1 weekend morning) over the next three months.
  

  To actualize your goal, you can start by identifying which are the 3 days in a week that work best for you. Track your progress, then slowly work your way up to your goal. For example:

  • Tuesday: Jog at Park connector for 30 minutes before picking kids up from childcare
  • Thursday: Jog for 30 minutes before dinner
  • Saturday/Sunday: Clock a jog while taking the kids cycling along the PCN 
    

Friendly Competition With Your Fitness Buddy

You and your buddy can also spur each other on with a little friendly competition to improve your fitness. Challenge each other to see who can jog the longest without walking, or compete for most number of steps in a week!

Bond While You Burn Calories

Exercising is a good way to spend quality time with family members and friends, especially when it's a fun physical activity that doesn't even feel like exercise.

Have a family picnic at Sentosa and play a game of beach volleyball or frisbee. Or head to Changi beach with the kids to cycle and play catch at the playground.

Prefer somewhere with air-con? Go brisk-walking at the mall and bond with your friends over bargain-hunting, or play a round of laser tag with your buddies and work together to eliminate the enemy.

Fun New Activities to Keep Fit

Shake things up by trying new activities with your exercise buddies. Find a workout that you've never tried before. Here are some ideas to get you started: rock climbing, indoor trampoline, kickboxing, dragon boat racing, and bubble soccer.

Staying fit by exploring different activities doesn't mean breaking the bank! Sign up for free workout classes like Zumba and kickboxing here.

Do consult your doctor before starting any exercise regime, and practise caution when exercising. Remember, safety first!

Download the HealthHub app on Google Play or Apple Store to access more health and wellness advice at your fingertips.

Read these next:

• 4 Fitness Motivation Hacks for Friends
• Benefits of Group Training and Workouts
• Benefits of Playing Team Sports
• Exercise: It's Easier Than You Think