Study: The Benefits of Exercising in Groups vs Going Solo

Do you prefer to hit the gym, the trail or the road all by your lonesome?

Or do you tend to thrive in group fitness settings? 

No matter what kind of exercise you enjoy doing, there's not any downsides choosing to stay physically active at any age, especially with so many people falling far short of the recommended guidelines for weekly physical activity.

According to several studies, people that exercise by themselves may be missing out on some key benefits that were observed in individuals that were part of a group setting when exercising.

Exercise is well-known for providing multiple health benefits. From better moods, more restful sleep, alertness and energy levels to even boosting romantic drive, it's an absolute necessity.

In the following study, 69 medical students joined one of three exercise groups.

The first group was comprised of individuals doing functional fitness and core strengthening exercises.

The second group went solo on their own with up to a max of two workout partners.

The third and final final group didn't do any exercise whatsoever, other than using a bike or walking to get where they needed to go.

Stress levels were measured at the start of each study and every four weeks, including questions regarding quality of life. These included questions on assessments of mental, physical, and emotional health.

After the study was concluded at week 12, group exercisers saw major improvements in all three areas, including a reduction in their stress levels.

The solo group only saw improvements their mental state, with some reportedly going above and beyond the requirements by exercising up to an hour more than the other groups.

The third control group that didn't change their exercise routine were not able to notice any tangible differences prior to and post the study.

It's important to note these results should be viewed in their isolated context. This study would benefit far more from a wider poll done with multiple age groups, ethnicities and geographies taken into consideration.

However, it does show humans tend to be social creatures by nature and that mutually shared fitness activities and experiences tend to elevate our overall feeling of wellbeing.

In a separate 2013 study from the International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, researchers tested multiple people on rowing machines, requiring them to work out for up to 45 minutes per session.

These rowers were required to synchronize their movements and were shown to demonstrate a higher pain tolerance than rowers that used the machines by themselves.

This was attributed to a higher release of endorphins, known as the "feel good" hormones by the group exercising in sync with one another.

The term for this behavior is called behavioral synchrony. It's been observed in other cultures during participation in religious rituals and dance. Having emotional connections to people in these groups was also shown to boost performance levels.

SUMMARY: What kind of exercising routine do you prefer? If you've been going solo, you may benefit from joining a local group, connecting with others and seeing several added improvements to your physical and mental state versus just exercising alone.