Being in front of a crowd, even if it’s just an accountability buddy, can give us all the motivation and encouragement we need to improve our body composition and reach our full fitness potential.

Whether you’re building a house, traveling across the country, or competing to be the next American Ninja Warrior, people need other people to thrive. Sometimes, this is obvious: we cannot accomplish life alone, especially things that take specialized knowledge (like flying an airplane). But even in activities that are seemingly solitary, such as setting a new personal best on the squat rack or improving our VO2 max (maximum oxygen rate during exercise), we tend to perform better when surrounded by others.

This is called the “crowd effect.” The idea is that we behave differently when we’re alone compared to when others are present (and thus might be watching). Many people think that their performance suffers when people are watching them. But a Johns Hopkins study found that the opposite is more often true: being watched makes you do better.

Knowing this about the crowd effect, you can use it to your advantage when you want to improve your VO2 max. Whether it’s to push yourself during a single workout or set long-term goals like boosting your metabolism, improving your body composition, or maximizing your athletic performance, the people around you can have a lot to do with your success.

The Crowd Effect: Demystified

Let’s say you’re an actor in a play. You’ve spent several weeks rehearsing in an empty theater with just your cast members to run your lines. But on opening night, the theater comes alive. The audience is pulled into the play and laughs and claps when it’s appropriate. There’s a different energy in the air, one that feeds the performers in a way that wasn’t there the night before. Maybe you’re trying harder to hit every cue or feel more focused because you don’t want to flub your lines.

This is a prime example of the crowd effect in motion. Sometimes called the “audience effect” or “social facilitation,” the crowd effect is rooted in psychology. Suddenly, you’re not just performing for your own benefit but also to the benefit of others. There’s an invisible force pushing you along. Whatever you’re doing, be it a stage play or a fitness routine, has transformed into a performance, not just a self-serving activity.

This type of effect was first documented in 1898 by psychologist Norman Triplett. He observed records from a bicycle race and found that cyclists performed better when competing against each other than they did trying to beat their own times.

We see a similar impact in group workout settings. For example, one study found that 95% of those who engaged in a weight loss program with friends completed the program, compared to 76% of those who tried the same program alone. What’s more, the friend group was 42% more likely to maintain the weight loss, giving some truth to the old adage, “There is strength in numbers.”

Why the Crowd Effect Improves Performance

The crowd effect could be attributed to several things. For starters, being part of a group or crowd means there’s inherently more accountability. It’s a commitment, and we place pressure on ourselves to stick with our commitments. There’s also the matter of friendly competition: “If they can do it, I can, too.” A little peer pressure, even in the friendliest of ways, can go a long way in helping us keep pushing forward.

Plus, no one wants to be seen as the weakest link. This is known as the Kohler Effect—people who want to improve their fitness, endurance, and strength push themselves harder when surrounded by others, especially when working out among people who are “fitter” than them.

One study in the Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology found this to be true. It compared how a person performed planks alone and with a partner. Working out with a partner encouraged the participants to hold their planks for longer—as much as a 24% increase!

Professional athletes follow a similar pattern. They love the shouts and cheers from the crowd and feel fired up at game time. This is why many NFL teams decided to play fake crowd noises and place fake audience members in the stands during games when COVID-19 limited stadium capacity. Teams feed off the crowd’s energy and positivity. It’s one critical factor that separates game day from just normal practice or scrimmage. Not to mention, no professional athlete wants to let down their fans.

One report points out the link between performing in front of a crowd and the distraction from fatigue. Players or athletes focus more on the crowd and the activities themselves rather than any pain, tiredness, or soreness that comes with their sports performance. They don’t tire as quickly (or at least don’t realize it) and are less likely to hit a wall.

In the Johns Hopkins study, neuroscientists found that certain parts of the brain are activated when it knows people are watching you. These areas are associated with social awareness and reward, and they stimulate the part of the brain that controls motor skills.

This is why the crowd effect is so prominent in fitness activities that require strength, endurance, and general athletic performance. Things like weight lifting, contact sports, and racing require movement and motor skills, and the impact on the brain when people are watching you do these things may be your most effective tool yet.

How to Channel the Crowd Effect for Fitness

Whether you’re trying to improve your body composition or athletic performance, you can (and should!) use the crowd effect to your advantage.

One easy way to start is by simply working out with your friends. Grab a buddy and start planning your workouts together. If you like to run, choose a friend who also likes to run and can keep pace with you. Or, if you’re more keen on weightlifting, sync up your gym schedule so you can spot each other with bench presses or offer advice on form.

Your fitness accountability buddy can be so much more than a companion. They can push you to do just one more rep, increase your weight just a little, or squeeze in just one more set. Listen to their words of encouragement to find strength or endurance you didn’t know you had. Those small steps can lead to big gains over time, especially if you’re consistently using the crowd effect to perform better.

If you don’t have an accountability person to join you on your workouts, consider a group fitness class. You’ll have more people to perform in front of, which gives you even more incentive to keep pace and try your best. No one wants to look like the least fit person in an exercise class, even if you’re just starting your fitness journey. Everyone tends to put their best foot forward, so you’ll have plenty of motivation to do the same.

In either case, try to choose a workout buddy or a group fitness class that’s on your level of fitness. If you’ve been an avid weightlifter for years, someone who is brand new to weights might not create the same crowd effect as someone who can bench as much as you do (or more!). The same goes for group fitness: you don’t want to enroll in a beginner HIIT class if you’ve been doing HIIT three times a week for the past three years. The goal is to level up your athletic performance, not look good by comparison.

If group fitness classes aren’t your thing or you don’t have a friend or partner to work out with, try hitting the gym during peak hours. Granted, you might have to wait for your favorite machines to become available, but the gym will be swimming with people. Even if no one is directly looking your way, you may still feel the crowd effect and the pressure to perform better. You never know who might be watching and learning from you! Go show ‘em how it’s done!

Use the Crowd Effect to Ace Your VO2 Max Testing

Working out with a crowd is your new secret performance weapon. When all eyes are on you, you’ll have a better chance to improve performance, strength, endurance, and overall fitness just by pushing yourself a little harder on every workout.

Getting a professional VO2 max controlled laboratory test can help you see just how much progress you’re making. A VO2 max test measures your lung and heart endurance while you exercise and is considered the best indicator of cardiovascular fitness. When you make improving VO2 max your new fitness goal, get a test to set your benchmark, then schedule a future test to help you gauge your progress.

If you’re new to your fitness journey, utilizing a body composition scan, DEXA or BOD POD, and a resting metabolic rate test to gather baseline data to help you track and monitor your progress as you take those nexts steps.

Fitness is both an art and a science. Let the science tell you where you are and where you’re going, then let creativity take over and show you how to get there.