Work out with your boss without the awkwardness

Zach Schofel, cofounder and CEO of lease platform Cosign, gives new employees two options: a 7:20 a.m. Barry's class or a padel session.

"It's good to do something to meet and hang out with someone, get to know someone before you start," Schofel told Business Insider.

Post-work drinks are out. HIIT classes with your manager are the new norm. Companies are pushing health and wellness while drinking rates decline. Coworkers use workouts to bond and, ideally, impress their bosses.

Longevity fitness is one of the hottest trends among high-performers in business, tech, and finance. Speaking the language on VO2 max, grip strength, and resistance training can earn real credibility if your supervisor is a gym rat, said Maria Colacurcio, CEO of software company Syndio.

"You're going to get more respect, and you're going to immediately open a rapport and a relationship at a level that wasn't open to you before," said Colacurcio, who competes as a pro-level Hyrox athlete and works out with employees and board members.

If you have not been invited to a team workout yet, it may only be a matter of time. Business Insider spoke with fitness instructors, CEOs, job coaches, etiquette experts, and employees who work out together about the dos and don'ts of sweating it out with your boss.

A networking workout can quickly backfire if you have overstated your qualifications or cannot bring real enthusiasm to the effort. Basic fitness knowledge and competency matter. If your boss asks you to spot them, you should know what you are doing.

"I would want to make sure that I know every single workout that we're going to do," Noah Neiman, cofounder of group fitness studio The Pack, told Business Insider.

Stay self-aware about your strengths and weaknesses. There is no point picking up a 30lb over a 25lb.

"Nine times out of 10, nobody's clocking that – that's our own ego and insecurity getting in the way," Nic Wilson, an F45 athlete, said.

Even lifting an empty barbell can make a good impression if you are making a genuine effort to improve, according to Colacurcio. "Being confident and knowledgeable about your journey, I would see that and be so impressed," she said.

Still, expect some discomfort. Scaling a workout to fit your needs is fine. Complaining or changing it excessively can be disruptive.

If the workout style is unfamiliar, try a class on your own first. You will know what to expect and avoid looking lost in front of the person signing off on your next performance review.

Neiman regularly hosts corporate workouts at his gym. His tip to employees: give it your all and do not complain about how difficult the workout is. That said, do not try to one-up your boss. Trying too hard could have the opposite effect.

"I hate a suck-up," Neiman, who has trained executives, said.

A better strategy is to read the room.

"Try to map your effort to the human that you're meeting. If they're really intense, you can be really intense," said Colacurcio, who works out with members of her board and potential investors as well as employees.

In a one-on-one setting, matching their pace, even at a lower intensity, can build more rapport than blowing past your workout buddy.

It is a delicate balance. In a group setting, pushing yourself can highlight your drive and work ethic, as long as the competition stays friendly.

"I also want my investors to see that I'm competitive," said Colacurcio. "I leave it all on the field."

Some employees told Business Insider they use workout classes as a chance to get extra one-on-one time with their boss and to ask questions they do not always have time to address in the office. For others, business conversations are off-limits once they are in the studio. The gym is for working out, not discussing the latest deal or unanswered emails.

It all depends on your relationship with your manager and their perspective on it. The safest approach is to let them set the tone.

Diane Gottsman, who owns The Protocol School of Texas, which specializes in professional development and corporate etiquette training, said workers should let their boss take the lead in bringing up work conversations.

"Don't bring up business, don't bring up closing a deal," Gottsman said. "Unless they do it first."

Colacurcio said the biggest mistake employees make is to talk shop too early or too often.

"The beauty of working out together is it's kind of like the business dinner where it's relational, not transactional," she said. "The best business dinners, you don't get to the business until the very end."

Gottsman recommends avoiding flashy clothing and dressing as though you could run into your best client at the gym. Victoria Repa, CEO and founder of BetterMe, a well-being platform, said a tonal look in black, chocolate, navy, or ivory is a safe bet and can give you an "effortlessly polished" look.

"The only real 'don't' is anything you'll spend the entire class adjusting, or anything you choose solely to impress the room," Repa said.

If you are not comfortable working out with your boss or feel overly anxious about it, do not force it. The goal is to build a stronger relationship with your manager or coworkers, said Ron Porter, a senior client partner at Korn Ferry.

If your boss invites you to play golf and you have never picked up a club, it may be better to suggest another activity, such as tennis or a walk.

Even if your boss loves working out, that is unlikely to be your only chance to spend time together outside the office. Schofel said he organizes workouts with his team because he enjoys them and sees them as a way to connect with employees. He is not keeping track of who does not show up.

"Don't force it," Schofel said. "I don't think that an org should start working out together just for the act of doing it."