Are you in the friend zone?

They say if you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together. That's as true in fitness as it is in any aspect of life. Not only can that competitive energy spur you to new training heights, it may even help you break through the pain barrier.

Forward this newsletter to a friend and fire up, together.

• Train:?4 research-backed reasons to work out with a friend
• Eat:?5 burger recipes to impress your buddies
• Learn:?8 underrated high-performance tools
• Live longer:?Steamy content incoming

4 reasons to fire up with a friend

Ever wondered how a team of unknowns can defeat a team packed with superstars? The secret is standing right beside them – there's performance power in numbers.

Here are four research-backed reasons to find yourself a workout partner.

1. The buddy boost.?One study found that exercising with other people leads to a 26% higher reduction in stress than going solo.
2. Make it stick.?People who do social workouts are more likely to maintain their routine.
3. All gain, less pain.?Social bonding has been proven to increase our pain threshold.
4. There's confidence in numbers.?Young people who participate in group sports have better self-esteem, lower social anxiety, lower risk of depression and are happier about their bodies.

Go deeper into the friend zone?and improve your performance today.

5 burger recipes worth sharing

Today we learned that training with a friend can take you a whole lot further. You know what's also better together? Burgers.

Forget the takeout menu, we've got all your bases covered:?beef burgers,?Cajun chicken burgers,?turkey burgers with hummus?and even the world-famous (with Centr members)?Mexican black bean burger.

Text your buddy,?fire up the grill and get your burger on.

Could saunas help you live longer?

In the battle between time and your body, the sauna could be one of your greatest allies. Whether you go wood-fired, electric or infrared, dry or wet, the health benefits of spending 20 minutes in a wood-lined sweat box go further than you might think.

• A study found that people who used a sauna 2-3 times per week were 22 percent less likely to have a heart attack.
• Men who used a sauna 4-7 times a week saw a 65 percent reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
• Most interesting is the heat shock effect, which sends your cells into defensive mode, cleaning out harmful waste byproducts that can damage your DNA and lead to aging.

Want to know more? Grab your towel and?let's turn up the heat.

For better performance, don't forget…

When your fitness goals remain just out of reach, the best solution is to simply train harder, right? Not always. You could be neglecting some of the most powerful tools in your arsenal.

We're giving your routine a wake-up call with 8 underrated ways to unlock higher performance.

1. Take action against stress: Did you know that stress can stall muscle growth, play havoc with your appetite, cause your body to store fat and mess with sleep?

Take it seriously and take action – hit play on a short daily meditation, try a yoga class, turn off your email outside of work hours.

2. Mind your micros: You know the right combination of carbs, fats and protein is essential, but don't sleep on other nutrients like magnesium, omega-3s and collagen.

To ensure you're getting what you need – and reaping benefits like faster muscle recovery – you should be eating a variety of foods with plenty of plants.

3. Water yourself regularly: Dehydration puts extra pressure on your joints and increases injury risk. So if you've earned a sweat, your body has earned a drink. This is doubly important if you're exercising in hot or humid conditions.

Centr nutrition expert Angie Asche recommends a minimum ? cup of water for every 15 minutes of training – on top of your normal water intake.

4.Think like an athlete: Energy and motivation levels flagging? Some of the world's top athletes turn to?performance meditations?and visualization exercises to get into the zone – and you can find those same techniques to fire up on Centr.

Unlock all 8 performance tips.

Go behind the scenes with Dan

Centr chef Dan Churchill is not just taking you behind the scenes on our latest shoot, he's making breakfast. Come for the granola, stay for the new workouts arriving soon…?