The importance of a training partner

We got winter vacation from school all week and my training partner, Tonje, went home to Kongsberg. My first thought were: "yes, now noone is shouting and screaming at me to do a few more reps, or the breaks between sets are too long."

But on every workout this week, I really wished I had a training partner shouting a little bit. Its true what they say, that you dont know what you have before you loose it. Now thankfully I only lost my partner for a week. Or else I`d have to make a contact advertising on finn.nl or something, hehe.

Four big benefits for YOU to have a training partner:
- Accountability:
There are always some days we dont feel like working out. Maybe becouse something happened at home, you are tired or just plain lazy that day. Regardless of the reason, sooner or later we all will have a day were we physically could go to the gym, but choose not to. A training partner can hold you accountable. If you know there are someone waiting and counting on you to show up at the gym, you are much more likely to take on your big-boy pants and go to the gym. Accountability works both ways: occasionally your partner might have a million excuses not to go to the gym, and you will be the opposing factor to get your partner going!

- Motivation:
Accountability can get you to the gym, but motivation can make your time there most productive. A partner that pushes you to the limit and motivates you to push that extra mile on the thredmill or to get thoose 1 or 2 extra reps on the last set, is what we want. This is so important becouse we are capable of so much more than we momentarily think. I have found that when two training partners push eachother in a supportive way, the workouts are more fun and more effective than training solo.

- Safety:
On certain exercises, especially with free weights, a spotter is a necessity! Trying to lift heavy on example barbell bench press or squats without a spotter might end in a disaster (and even injuries). The added feeling of safety by knowing you have a spotter that got your back, might even motivate you to get in a few more reps.

- Competition:
Most people who train hard are competitive by nature. And training with someone of equal strength or even stronger than you, might end up with some awesome workouts. Both pushing beyond the limit to beat the other.


So if you have been training as a lone wolf, try to find a training partner and see if you get more from your workouts :-)