Why You Need to Buddy Up for a Sustainable Swimming Habit

a safety mantra, there are other reasons that finding a partner or group to train with can help you build a more sustainable swimming habit. Here are four key ways that buddying up can improve your ability, fitness, enjoinment, and commitment to swimming.

1. They Provide Motivation When Yours Might Be Flagging

Just showing up is half the battle, and a training buddy or group can help you keep on a consistent training routine says Amerigo Rossi, director of the exercise and sport science MS program at New York Institute of Technology. “Training partners are great because they provide accountability for you to show up for exercise, even on days when motivation is low.”

They also offer structure—arrive at a specific time, work out until a set time, rinse and repeat. “It’s very easy to skip workouts when no one is expecting you, but when you have a buddy or a team, it’s harder to make excuses, says Roger Montenegro, CSCS, RSCC, a personal trainer with Made Possible Personal Training in St. Petersburg, Florida.

2. They Offer Accountability

In addition, knowing that you’ll be working together can motivate you to pull your weight and get to bed on time the night before.

“When you have a scheduled workout with your partner, you are more likely to be prepared for the session. Additionally, knowing that you don’t want to let your training partner down makes it more likely that you will attend and complete the workout,” explains James Rodgers, a UESCA running coach, swim coach, and endurance sports specialist based in the U.K. “One of the most significant benefits for myself having a training partner is this element of accountability.”

“Social support is crucial in maintaining consistency, which is often the biggest challenge in fitness,” Montenegro concurs.

3. They Make Workouts More Fun

Even though while you’re swimming, you’re not able to talk, there’s a surprising amount of positive social interaction that comes from working out with a Masters group.

“The enjoyment and chat before and after the workout can really give you a boost, and you often end up going farther or pushing harder than you would alone,” Rodgers notes.

This can even take the shape of “friendly competition, which keeps swimming fun and makes it easier to finish more challenging workouts,” Rossi says.

Rodgers recommends making it more social by traveling to events together or grabbing a coffee after.

4. They Can Make You a Better Swimmer

Training with others also pushes you to higher levels you might not reach alone, whether that’s keeping up with someone faster in a swim set or simply sharing the mental grind of training, Montenegro notes.

“A training group allows you to share pace, particularly in endurance sports like swimming, running, and cycling,” Rodgers says. “Sharing the pace can be helpful mentally and physically,” and it can push you to work harder than you would if you were swimming alone.

What’s more, while swimming along with someone, you may notice that they’re doing something strange on their catch, or there’s some efficiencies to be gained on their flip turns. A coach on deck doesn’t have the same angle of sight as another swimmer in the water does, so training buddies may be able to provide helpful technique feedback and make you a better, less injury-prone swimmer.