‘A motivational speaker in my pocket’: The power of workout buddies

*“We ride the lows together, as well as the highs – she’s my fitness buddy that has turned into one of my best friends.” *

Samantha Allen and her workout buddy, Gillian, live six hours apart. One lives in Yorkshire, and the other at the bottom of the country.

They've never been gym partners in the traditional sense, but every day, they check in, cheer each other on, and share the highs and lows of life, fitness, and everything in between.

Their connection has grown into more than just motivating each other to move – it’s become a genuine friendship built on trust and having a lot of fun.

How it started

Samantha, a working mum in her late 30s with two kids, had joined The Body Coach app and wanted to meet another mum in a similar situation to keep her motivated – to share the highs and lows and help her stay on track.

She posted in The Body Coach Facebook group to ask if anyone else was looking for a workout buddy or accountability partner to keep them motivated while exercising. Gillian replied.

“We started messaging,” says Samantha. “We hit it off! We were very similar – similar ages and similar family setups. I've struggled to reach out to others when it comes to fitness, I’ve had comparison issues. But this was different.”

The daily check-in

What started as an online conversation has turned into daily check-ins with each other. “We connect on a daily basis,” says Samantha. “The first person I’ll message after I go to the gym is her. We can talk about ridiculous stuff, and we can talk in depth.”

From workout updates to life wins, the pair hold each other accountable in a supportive way. They swap workouts they’re doing, share what they’re proud of, and admit when they’re struggling. “I’ll tell her: ‘I didn’t have that chocolate bar today!’ and she’ll say, ‘Woohoo, go you!’”

But the friendship has also brought a level of support that goes beyond just fitness. “She’s my fitness buddy that turned into one of my best friends,” says Samantha. “She helps motivate me – it’s like I have a motivational speaker in my pocket! – but it feels deeper than that. I never feel lonely. When I’m being hard on myself, she’ll tell me I am. Without her, it would be a lonely journey.”

From online to IRL

What makes the friendship even more special is that they share real-life adventures too. One of their most memorable meet-ups was flying to Malaga in March 2025 to do their first ever Hyrox together – they’d been talking about for about a year, said Samantha.

“I never thought in a million years I’d do any sort of fitness competition! I messaged her out of the blue and said, ‘Do you fancy it?’ We signed up and that was it. We became each other’s biggest motivator.”

The bond works, said Samantha, because they understand each other, not just in their goals, but in their mindset too. For them, having a workout buddy isn’t just about motivation, it’s about an actual human connection.

“In that friendship, I’ve found my person,” said Samantha. “She’s my cheerleader, who encourages me to exercise and reminds me of how much better I feel after.”

This article was written by The Body Coach content team.