Benefits of a Weight Training Partner

Posted by
February 12th, 2009

I love working out alone for many reasons; most notably I can lift at my own pace. The biggest problem with this method is simply you will never reach your greatest potential. Even if you can't find a suitable person to train with, if you socialize a little with the people around the gym you should be able to find people to assist you.

What can a Weight Training Partner do for me?

All of us enjoy slacking off at the gym from time to time, it's the job of our training partner to push us on these days and push us even harder on our good days. Now sure you can find just about any one to spot you in the gym and train to failure, but it's not polite to force your spotter to lift the last rep. When you train to failure only your training partner truly knows if the weight you are lifting and how much they helped on that final rep.

This information is vital as it may lead to another couple of reps, which in turn leads to more strength and muscle growth. Many times when we fail our training partner is only lifting minimal weight and can easily call to do another rep when they know you have it in you.

You can also factor in the weight you are using, some times adding 10-20lbs doesn't actually make you set feel that much heavier and you can get in about the same amount of reps. Pushing your body to new limits is vital to growth.

You can also factor in pre work out discussion building up to your work out. When your training partner sends you a text message like "tonight's the night, bring your legs or don't bother coming" it gets your mind thinking about demolishing the weights.

Using Multiple Training Partners

One thing I really enjoy is finding multiple training partners to push all my lifts to the max. You might have a person to work out with that is strong in the legs but lacks upper body strength and development, they can help you excel one way but will hold you back in another. You need some one you can be pushed hard by, and push back just as hard.

The Training Partners Pact

Well there isn't really a pact to follow; you do have to try your best to be there to train all the time. There is nothing wrong with not being there once in awhile or even moving your work out temporarily to another night, how ever if your constantly missing work outs because either of you are unavailable it is time to find a new training partner more suitable to your schedule.

Using a Consistent Spotter

Some times it is virtually impossible to find some one to train with consistently, that doesn't mean you can't find other people training on the same days as you. Some times these people can be just as productive as a training partner. If they spot you week after week and have the same drive as you to push you hard enough on these exercises you will still benefit to a degree.

Recently I even had some one send me a message on Facebook just to see if I was going be in that night to spot them on their chest work out. I've rarely ever worked my chest on the same day as him, but I know exactly what he has done from week to week. The comfort level is almost on par as it would be with a proper training partner.

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