If you’ve ever felt demotivated about working out, or bored while going through the same exercises, you’re not alone. Many people experience these obstacles – and it often steers them away from their fitness goals.
But there’s an easy way to fight back against these threats to your fitness potential: get yourself a workout partner.
Why are workout partners so valuable and how can you find one?
What Is a Workout Partner?
A workout partner is simply someone who exercises with you on a regular basis. They could serve an advisory role, giving you direction and advice, or they could be learning alongside you. They might join you every day, without fail, or they might only work out with you once a week. They might exercise mostly in silence, or chat with you indefinitely.
The point is, there’s no right or wrong way to have a workout partner, and good workout partners come in many forms.
Why Workout Partners Matter
Why are workout partners so important?
- Motivation and more fun. When you have a training partner, you’re going to be much more motivated to follow through on all your goals. On days when you don’t feel like going to the gym, knowing your partner is waiting for you could be all it takes to get you going. Plus, when you exercise together, you’ll be able to talk, joke, and participate in secondary activities to make the workout more fun and stimulating.
- Encouragement. When you attempt a new personal record, your partner will be there to cheer you on. When you finally hit your weight loss goal, your partner will be with you to celebrate. Having a partner is a great way to manifest encouragement, which in turn, will help you preserve your momentum.
- Form and spotting. Good form is essential for any workout program, but evaluating your form alone can be challenging. Without proper form, you won’t get all the benefits of the exercises you’re doing, and you’ll put yourself at serious risk of bodily harm. Your workout partner, assuming they have at least some experience, will be able to note when your form deviates or breaks from recommendations – and guide you back to proper form. Additionally, your partner we will likely be more than happy to serve as your spotter, making sure you can lift safely.
- Emergency support. Having a partner around is also valuable as a potential line for emergency support. If you hurt yourself, if you fall, or in the off chance you’re attacked, your partner can call for help. Hopefully, none of your workouts will have these incidents, but a partner could save your life if they do.
- Saving money. In some cases, having a workout partner could save you money. Many gyms offer partner programs that allow you to combine memberships, or bring a friend with you every time you go to the gym.
Finding the Right Workout Partner
Much of your success depends on finding the right workout partner. So who is the right workout partner?
- Experience. First, you need to think about experience. Sometimes, it’s valuable to have someone with the same experience level as you, so they can learn and grow with you (and avoid slowing you down). Sometimes, it’s better to have a partner much more experienced than you, so they can provide you with more direction and advice.
- Personality. Also think about the personality of your prospective partner. Some people want to chat the entire time they’re exercising. Some people want to exclusively focus on the workout. Some people are very serious and disciplined while working out, while others like to goof off and not take things seriously. There are no right or wrong personality traits here; It’s just a matter of finding a good fit.
- Availability and commitment. You also need to look at availability and commitment. Is this person able to join you on a consistent basis?
Where can you find a workout partner like this?
- Hire a personal trainer. One option is to simply hire a personal trainer. You probably won’t have to worry about availability, and they’ll naturally be much more experienced than you.
- Ask your friends and family members. Consider recruiting people you already know; do any of your friends or family members have interest in starting a fitness regimen?
- Strike up conversations at the gym. Talking to other people at the gym isn’t always easy. But it’s a great place to find someone with similar goals and a similar schedule.
It can be difficult to find a workout partner who aligns with you in both outlook and availability. But once you have a partner who goes to the gym with you on a regular basis, you’ll feel much more motivated to work out – and you’ll see better outcomes as well.