How to work out with friends who live far away
Training "together" used to mean being in the same gym. For friends who live apart, that just isn't possible, but the part of training together that actually helps is not the shared room. It is knowing your friend will see whether you showed up.
Pick a goal that needs no equipment
Bodyweight goals work anywhere: pushups, squats, a plank, a run or a walk. If one of you travels a lot, a goal that fits in a hotel room keeps the streak alive.
Forget training at the same time
Scheduling live video workouts across time zones falls apart quickly. Instead, let each person train whenever suits them, and share proof afterwards. The friend in Toronto sees the clip from Texas when they wake up, and that is enough to keep both going.
Use each person's own midnight
A single shared deadline punishes whoever is ahead in time. Midnight in each person's own time zone is fair, and it moves with you when you travel.
Make it a little social
- React to each other's clips. It takes a second and it matters.
- Keep a group chat for the banter, separate from the proof.
- Once a month, do a short challenge together, like a plank-off or a pushup max.
A real example. Quota was built by two friends, one in College Station, Texas and one in Toronto, who keep a daily pushup quota together. Every night both post proof before their own midnight. Read the story.
Questions
How can I work out with a friend who lives in another city?
Agree on a daily goal, train whenever suits each of you, and share short proof every day. Seeing each other show up matters more than training at the same time.
How do time zones work for a shared daily goal?
Give each person their own midnight as the deadline. It's fair to everyone and moves with you when you travel.
What workouts are best for long-distance accountability?
No-equipment goals like pushups, squats, planks, runs and walks, so travel never breaks the streak.
Keep your goal with friends.
Quota is a free app for a daily goal with your group: proof before midnight, and a streak you keep together.
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