You're halfway through a round on the bag and you glance sideways. The person next to you is throwing fast combinations and barely seems out of breath. Your own punches suddenly feel slow, and a thought slips in. Everyone here is fitter than me.
Almost everyone who trains in a group has had a moment like that. Comparison is a normal part of being around other people, and in small doses it can even be useful. Left unchecked, though, it can drain the enjoyment out of training and push you into decisions that don't serve you.
Why we compare ourselves to others
In 1954, the psychologist Leon Festinger put forward what became known as social comparison theory. The idea is that people judge their own abilities by looking at others, especially when there's no clear, objective way to measure themselves.
That last part matters in a fitness class. If you have no reliable way to tell how hard you're working, the person beside you becomes your measuring stick by default. Their speed and how quickly they recover between rounds start to feel like the standard you should be meeting.
The problem is that you're comparing yourself against someone whose story you don't know.
What you can't see from the next bag
When you watch someone else train, you see a few minutes of their output. Everything that produced it stays hidden. They might have been boxing for years, or they might have played sport their whole life. Their day might have been an easy one, while you've done a full shift and the school run.
Bodies also respond to training differently. Age and past injuries change how a session feels. Sleep and stress do too. Two people can work equally hard and look completely different doing it. One might be red-faced and puffing while the other looks calm, even when their effort is about the same.
So the comparison you're making in that moment is rarely a fair one. It sets one person's highlight against your hardest moment.
What comparison costs you
Comparison isn't always harmless. In training, it tends to cause problems in two directions.
Pushing past a sensible pace. Trying to match someone fitter can lead you to go out too hard in the first round and fade badly, or to sacrifice your technique for speed. In boxing, rushing combinations usually means dropping your guard and losing form. In strength work, it can mean lifting heavier than you're ready for.
Losing heart. Upward comparison can also make you feel like you'll never catch up, which is a fast route to skipping classes. When people drift away from training, a common reason is a feeling that they didn't belong, more than the sessions being too hard.
A fairer way to measure effort
This is one reason MPower uses Myzone in every class. Myzone is a heart rate-based training system that gives you real-time feedback on your effort, using personalised intensity zones. Your effort is measured against your own heart rate zones rather than against the person next to you.
That gives you the objective measure that Festinger's theory says we look for. When you can see your own effort in real time, you don't need to guess based on how someone else looks. Two people can be working at the same intensity for their bodies while throwing at very different speeds, and the numbers make that obvious.
It also changes what a good session means. A good session is one where you worked well for your body on that particular day. Some days that's a big effort. Other days it's a steady one, and that's fine.
A quick reset in the moment
When you catch yourself glancing sideways mid-round, you don't need to argue with the thought. Give your attention a job instead. Try this simple sequence:
- Bring your eyes back to your own bag or station.
- Check your guard is up and your feet are set.
- Listen for the next cue from your coach and do that one thing well.
- Breathe out on each punch.
Narrowing your focus to the next small task pulls you out of the comparison loop. By the time the round ends, you've been training for yourself again.
Better comparisons to make
You don't have to stop noticing other people. You just need better things to compare.
- You against you, last month. Can you hold your guard up for a full round now? Is the strength station easier at the same weight? Do you recover between rounds faster? These are real signs of progress.
- Your technique against your coach's cues. In Box classes, our trainers teach real technique, from how to wrap your hands to how to throw your first jab. Measure yourself against what they've shown you, not against how fast someone else is punching.
- Your effort against your own zones. Let Myzone show you how hard you're working, instead of the person on the next bag.
If you want to keep a simple record, jot down a few notes after class. Over a couple of months you'll have a clear picture of how far you've come.
Use other people for inspiration instead
There's a healthier way to look at the fitter person next to you. Rather than treating them as a standard you're failing to meet, treat them as proof of where consistent training can take someone.
If you're curious, ask them how long they've been training. Most people are happy to talk about it, and you may find they started out feeling just as unsure as you do now. That conversation tends to turn comparison into encouragement, and it's one of the good parts of training in a group.
When comparison spills into the rest of life
Comparison doesn't stay in the gym. Many of us do the same thing with our careers and our bodies, and social media makes it very easy. If you notice that comparing yourself to others is regularly leaving you feeling low or anxious, it's worth talking to your GP. They can help you work out what's going on and point you to support. If you ever need to talk to someone urgently, Lifeline is available 24 hours a day on 13 11 14.
Find your own pace with us
Every class at MPower is coach-led and beginner-friendly, and our trainers offer modifications or extra challenge depending on where you're at. Nobody expects you to keep up with anyone else. You're there to work at your level and get a bit better each week.
If you'd like to try it, MPower is offering a limited number of new members their first 2 weeks of unlimited Box Build & Burn classes free. You'll get a free Myzone heart rate monitor so you can see your own effort live, plus boxing gloves to keep and a $0 joining fee. Have a look at our four class formats, then claim your 2 weeks free.
