If you’re the type of person who sets an alarm for a 6 a.m. workout but, upon hearing it, negotiates yourself down to a gentle stretch at 7:45 (or, let’s be honest, an extra hour in bed), you need an accountability buddy.

We all start with the best intentions. “This week will be different,” we tell ourselves. “I’ll train hard, eat clean, and walk 10,000 steps daily.” And then, by Wednesday, we’re deep into a packet of biscuits, scrolling through Netflix, convincing ourselves that walking to the fridge counts as cardio.

Enter: the Accountability Buddy, the person who will drag you kicking and screaming (sometimes literally) into being the best version of yourself.

The Power of the Buddy System

The buddy system isn’t just for primary school field trips or open-water swimming; it’s an essential tool for anyone trying to improve their health and fitness. The difference between success and failure often boils down to consistency, and nothing fosters consistency like a mate who won’t let you off the hook.

The Advantages of an Accountability Partner

1. They Make It Harder to Skip Workouts

It’s easy to cancel on yourself, but cancelling on someone else? That’s a different story. Imagine trying to text your accountability partner with, “I can’t make it to training today because my cat looked at me funny, and now I’m emotionally compromised.” That excuse won’t fly, and rightly so.

2. They Push You Harder

Whether it’s an extra rep, another kilometre, or just keeping up when you feel like quitting, a good training partner makes you work harder. If you’re alone, it’s too easy to say, “That’s enough for today.” But with a mate beside you, suddenly, stopping short makes you feel like the weak link. Nobody wants to be the weak link.

3. They Provide Moral Support (and Banter)

Training is supposed to be tough, but it doesn’t have to be miserable. A partner can turn a grueling workout into a bearable one with the right level of encouragement and well-timed sarcasm.

4. They Keep You Honest

Christina Neverfit is a perfect example of what happens when you lack accountability. Each Sunday evening, she declares that this week will be different. She’ll walk 10,000 steps a day, eat only wholesome foods, and finally get that gym membership she’s been meaning to use. By Tuesday, she’s lost momentum, by Thursday, she’s “treating herself” for getting through half a week, and by Saturday, she’s decided to start fresh next Monday. If Christina had an accountability partner, she wouldn’t be left to flounder in this predictable loop of despair.

5. They Make It Fun

Some things in life—like tax returns and BJJ warm-ups—are not inherently enjoyable. But if you have someone suffering alongside you, suddenly, it’s a shared struggle rather than a personal torment.

Anecdote Time: The Perpetual White Belt

Now, let’s talk about Tom Dohraymee, the man whose inconsistency is legendary. Tom has been training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for four-ish years. That’s a respectable amount of time, except that Tom is still a white belt. Not because he lacks talent, but because he lacks consistency. He’s the king of excuses. Some highlights include:

• “I’ll be there next week; I’ve just got a bit of an ache in my ankle.”
• “I would have come, but I was meal-prepping for a diet I’ve yet to start.”
• “I meant to train, but then I saw my gi and realised I forgot to wash it. And by the time I’d washed it, it was too late. So I had a nap instead.”

If Tom had a solid accountability partner—someone to tell him to get his backside to training—he might actually be wearing a blue belt by now instead of being a cautionary tale.

How to Maintain a Successful Buddy System

So, now that you’re convinced an accountability buddy is essential, how do you actually make it work?

1. Choose Wisely

Your best mate who also loves a lie-in? Probably not the best choice. Your co-worker who bails on Friday meetings and is somehow “too busy” every evening? Also not ideal. Find someone reliable, someone whose motivation aligns with yours, and preferably someone you don’t want to disappoint.

2. Set Clear Expectations

Are you meeting three times a week? Are you checking in daily via WhatsApp? Be specific. A vague “we should train together more” is useless.

3. Have a Penalty System

Make it painful to skip. A financial penalty (“£5 every time you miss a session unless you have an actual medical note”) or a forfeited coffee round can work wonders. If money doesn’t motivate you, consider social humiliation: a forfeited dare, a public call-out, or the dreaded “Instagram story confession.”

4. Log Your Progress

Track workouts, steps, weights lifted—anything measurable. Seeing progress makes you want to keep going. Plus, you can mock each other for falling behind, which is motivational in its own twisted way.

5. Accept That Motivation Comes in Waves

Neither of you will be 100% fired up all the time. That’s why you need each other. When you feel like quitting, they pull you along. When they feel like quitting, you return the favour.

6. Mix It Up

Boredom is the enemy. Try new activities. Swap gym for a park workout. Set challenges. Make it interesting.

7. No Ghosting

If you commit to something, stick to it. Your accountability partner is not your ex—don’t disappear without explanation.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve been struggling with consistency, there’s a high chance that an accountability buddy is the missing link between you and your goals. Whether it’s making it to training, eating better, or walking that elusive 10,000 steps, having someone to answer to can be the difference between success and yet another failed attempt.

Don’t be a Tom Dohraymee, forever stuck in limbo. Don’t be a Christina Neverfit, caught in the cycle of grand plans and no execution. Find someone who will keep you accountable, who won’t let you quit, and who will make sure that this time, you actually stick to it.

And if you don’t know where to find one? Well, start by showing up to training. Chances are, there’s another lost soul who needs you just as much as you need them.