Picking the Perfect Training Partner
Ever feel like you can’t get through a tough workout because you have no one pushing you, or have you ever felt like you couldn’t do that one extra rep because you’re afraid of dropping the weight on yourself? Many people feel that way all the time. It doesn’t have to be like that as long as you have someone reliable to work out with — such as a training partner.
Picking a training partner should not be a difficult task. The great thing about a workout partner is, you don’t need to have a partner who is the same sex, they don’t have to be the same age, and they don’t have to be the same weight as you. Motivation can come from anyone.
Here are some things that you want to look for in a training partner:
Reliability
You ultimately want to pick a training partner who is reliable and who is there to help and push you during your workout. You also want someone who shows up at the scheduled meeting time. When you say you want to workout at 12 pm, that doesn’t mean 12:10 pm or 12:20 pm. They need to be prompt and ready to work out when you are scheduled to meet. Your partner should also be someone who doesn’t take long absences from the gym. You don’t want a training partner who is constantly taking a couple weeks off from lifting because of a “busy schedule” or because of X, Y, and Z.
Trustworthy
Your training partner should be there to push you through those last few reps that you wouldn’t normally get by yourself. They should be trustworthy so while pushing your limits they can be there in case you need assistance with a weight or to help you with some forced reps. You want to have 100% faith in them to be there in case you need assistance.
Motivation
This shouldn’t come as a shocker but when choosing a training partner you want someone who can motivate you. If you have someone tagging along who don’t make a sound the whole workout you might as well just be working out by yourself. Your training partner should help you get pumped up and want to push harder and harder each workout.
Knowledge
The person you are training with needs to be knowledgeable in order to spot you correctly and safely (for the both of you). Your training partner should have some background knowledge of training so he/she isn’t holding you back (unless both of you are just starting out). If both you and your training partner are knowledgeable, you will have no problem changing up workouts every couple weeks to shock the muscles into new growth.
Goals
Most people feel that they need a training partner that shares the same goals. To a point this is incorrect. Someone who is bulking and someone who is cutting can be doing the same exercises (the weights might vary though). As long as you have a partner who is there and motivates you, what he or she is trying to accomplish shouldn’t affect you. The whole point of a training partner is someone to work out with and to help you reach your personal goals as well as provide motivation and assistance throughout your workouts.
Age
The great thing about a training partner is that you don’t have to be the same age. Someone in their 40’s can easily train with someone in their 20’s. Now the weights might not be the same, but each will be able to push the other and assist them when needed. It’s also common to see a father or mother working out with their children. This is a great way to get a child off on the right foot.
Gender
It’s not uncommon to see a husband and wife or a boyfriend and girlfriend working out together. In fact, this is a great way to bond and enjoy something together which will benefit you both in the long run. Most women can give men a good spot as long as they know how to spot the exercise correctly. Now in the case where men go to complete failure is when it might get a little hairy when the opposite sex needs to save them from a 300+ bar crashing down on the guy’s neck. However, in most cases, women are strong enough to help men through a few forced reps. Then you also have the cases where the woman can outlift the man and the roles are reversed.
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