Do you workout harder when you're at the gym as opposed to when you're at home? What about when you workout by yourself as opposed to working out with others? Do you workout longer or harder or do you find it's easier to cut things short when you're alone?
We talk a lot about the motivation to exercise, but one thing we may not think about is how our environment influences our workouts. Specifically, how working out alone or with others, at the gym or outside, may change how hard or how long you exercise. There was an interesting study about this in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. Researchers set out to investigate whether the intensity and duration of exercise bouts differed across physical and social environments. Using data from the American Time Use Survey, researchers found that:
- People exercised at a higher intensity when alone as compared to working out with others
- People worked harder at the gym than they did at home or outdoors
- People exercised longer during outdoor workouts
- Exercise sessions were shorter when people worked out by themselves
I found this study interesting, simply because knowing how you respond to different situations may help you get more out of your workouts. For example, I know that when my husband and I go running together, I run faster than I normally do and he runs longer than he normally does. On the other hand, he works harder at lifting weights at the gym, while I do much better at home. Knowing that kind of information helps me figure out where, and with whom, I can get the most out of my exercise time.
What about you? Do you prefer to workout by yourself and, if so, how does that change the intensity or duration of your workouts? Do you do better working out with friends? At the gym? How have you used that information to create a better workout program? Leave a comment and tell us about your best exercise environment.
Source:
Dunton, G.; Berrigan, D.; Ballard-Barbash, R.; et al. Environmental Influences on Exercise Intensity and Duration in a U.S. Time Use Study. September 2009 - Volume 41 - Issue 9 - pp 1698-1705.
I work out best alone or with one partner who is as focused as i am. I like to exercise with music and very little talking. I liked to be coached on my form, so working out with my honey actually helps me out in that department. And of course, because I am a nature lover, I feel more motivated to work out overlooking my balcony because it’s such a great view when you’re looking at lush, tropical plants and blooming trees.
I work out better along at home, longer and more efficiently. Working out with my spouse is great, but there is a tendency to slow down and look at nature when outdoors and he does not like to work out as long as I do. I’ve got a routine and I like to stick with it, but mixing it up by working out in different places with my spouse breaks up the monotony, which I enjoy, so it keeps me motivated to exercise on a daily basis.
I work out best in the gym and in group classes. I have a ton of exercise videos and equipment at home that I use rarely. I just do not feel motivated enough to workout by myself. But I love participating in group classes because I feed off of other people’s energy and strive to improve my workouts. My favorite class is zumba….I love the high energy, intoxicating workouts and am totally hooked. I do not do very well with the zumba videos at home, I have to go to a class to feel the energy and stay motivated.
I find that using a video or taking a class, I will do more reps or hold something just a little longer because I will push to keep up, vs. alone without any prompting, I don’t hold a Yoga pose as long, I don’t do that extra 8 reps, etc. I find the wii to be very helpful for me personally, because I do the workout I want, but will choose higher reps or push for something really hard.
I am very much a mood person, so have gone to the gym and had a horrible workout, cause I really wasn’t in a gym mood. Taken a class where I was not happy cause not in the mood for other people. Then other days, class was great and gym perfect. I adapt my workouts to be at home or out depending on my mood. Also could be video, could be just what I feel like. Music is key though (except when I do yoga) to making me push. But I definitely need to do classes and/or videos at least 2 times a week cause I won’t do abs on my own and it just makes me work a little bit harder.
I get bored easy too, so can’t be the same thing for too long. I dropped the wii workouts for like 2 months cause I got bored and just picked them back up this week:)
I have found I work out better at the gym, iPod plugged in, doing my thing. When learning a new workout, I like having someone show me how to do it or watch me do it and then critique the first time – from there I go it alone. I’m not fond of classes or talk while I am working out as I don’t concentrate and give it my all. At home, working out alone, I find that I work out just fine, but it’s more difficult to haul myself out of bed to go into the living room than to get out of bed and head to the gym, then come home to shower and get my daughter ready. Mornings (at the Y’s door at 5:30 when they open) is much easier for me than in the evening because it starts my day right.
I work out harder at home alone or in a group class at the gym. When I have worked out with a friend at home, we end up talking too much and then not working at high intensity. To me, this wastes valuable workout time!! In a group class, the instructor keeps us moving and focused then we save talk time for after class! I have been exercising faithfully for 10 or more years and I do enjoy working out alone the best!
Best alone, outside.
Our winters are about 8 months long.
We got a Bowflex last winter and just purchased a Schwinn 230 recumbent bike. My motivation is my husband, at 67 he has the body of a 35 year old.
I tend to workout better while in gym when it comes to strength exercises, but not with cardio.
Cardio I do best when alone. Running with a mate always has me running down to their level or giving up if I’m not keeping up
I do best with cardio outside, but I can be alone or with my daughter and as long as I’m outdoors I work much harder than inside on my bike.
I’m not comfortable with gyms, so I always do my strength training at home and I do fine, but I do much better alone versus if someone is working out with me. I tend to use the excuse that the other person needs to use my machine to slack off and take short cuts.
Definitely my best motivation is at the gym. When I’m there, I feel purposeful and the equipment selection is excellent. There’s also something about being around other people who are working to improve themselves and I’ve picked up some really good exercise pointers from some of the other members.
However, I also like hiking and doing cardio outdoors (air quality and weather permitting). When I’m outdoors, I can be alone or with someone else, it doesn’t matter to me.