Exercising with a partner is a good motivator.…

Exercising with a partner is a good motivator. But maybe only if your gem buddy keeps quiet. That's according to research to be published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. For the study, participants had to hold a plate for as long as possible. Some simply did the exercise. Others did it with a partner who was on video. They were told the partner was stronger than they were—past research has shown that a more accumulated workout buddy motivates people to exercise longer. The video partner was silent with some participants. But the partner virtually encouraged others. And when their gym buddy told the exercisers to feel the burn, they instead burned out. The researchers believe that the encouragement decreased exercise nobility because the participant might have interpreted the support as patronizing. Or they thought that the gym buddy was really only encouraging him- or herself. The research could inform the effect of effective video game workouts and social media tools to help people exercise. Because while increased motivation can help physical activity, a lot of yapping may just be sapping.