The Pros And Cons Of Exercising Alone
Some people love company as they exercise – whether this involves hiring a trainer, taking part in an exercise class or training with an exercise buddy. Others find it more productive and motivational to exercise alone. There are pros and cons to both approaches and it really depends on what you think works for you. This post focuses on some of the pros and cons of solo workouts to help you determine whether this is the right approach.
The pros
No intimidation
Some people get intimidated exercising around other people. In fact, it’s one of the top reasons people avoid going to the gym to lose weight. Working out alone can give some people more confidence. If you don’t want to be seen by anyone, the best place to exercise is at home. You can even buy your own gym equipment and watch instructional workout videos online.
Flexibility
A benefit of exercising alone is that it allows you to freely choose when and where you want to plan a workout. A downside of exercising with a workout buddy is that you have to work around their schedule. You similarly may not be able to make it to workout classes. By working out alone, you can pick and choose the times when you are available and motivated.
Ability to build self-motivation
A certain amount of self-motivation is necessary when achieving many exercising goals, and working out alone is the best way to develop this. Constantly relying on other people for motivation is no use if you need to compete in an event where you’re unable to train with someone. This self-motivation can also make you feel good about yourself and you may be able to apply it to other areas of life.
The cons
Lack of exterior motivation
A little bit of exterior motivation now and again can help push us beyond what we think we are capable of. This is a popular reason as to why many people hire fitness trainers or join exercise classes. Agreeing to train with other people can also encourage you to keep up a workout routine so that you don’t let these people down. When training alone, you may be more tempted to skip workouts.
Lack of assistance
For some types of exercise, it can be useful or even essential to have other people training with you. For example, having someone to act as a spotter while bench pressing heavy weights can be important for safety. Meanwhile, trainers can offer assistance by correcting you on your form and technique.
Loneliness/boredom
Some people are happy with their own company. However, many extroverted people may get lonely or bored. Training with someone can help to make exercise more fun and varied – even if you’re sticking to almost the exact same exercises.
What’s best for you?
If you’re intimidated by working out in front of others, want to build self-motivation or want the flexibility of setting your own exercise schedule, then exercising alone could be the way to go. If you feel you’re more motivated and happy training with others, then solo exercise may not be the way to go. Consider trying out both and see which one you find more convenient and rewarding.