Today I want to discuss some of the advantages and disadvantages to having a training partner, tell my own training partner story, and help you figure out if a training partner is right for you. During my years of training I have had many different training partners, and have also had long stretches when I trained alone either because I could not find a good training partner or because I was traveling so much with my job that most of my workouts were not in my normal gym. When I first started training in high school I worked out with my buddy Jason. Neither one of us knew what the heck we were doing in the gym and definitely knew nothing about proper nutrition to build muscle, but we both shared a common desire for pumping iron and trying to build muscle! Despite our massive overtraining and poor eating habits consisting of pizza buffets with some old school weight gainer thrown in for good measure, we were able make some pretty good gains due to our sheer determination and hard work, but thats another story.

Jason and I trained together for three years in high school and then another four years through college. We were both very dedicated and competitive so we would push each other in the weight room each day, which is one of the major advantages of having a good training partner. Then, we both graduated college and went our separate ways into the real world. For the first time since I started training I was left without a workout partner so I did what I had to do; I worked out by myself. I am a very self-motivated person and do not need someone else to hold me accountable for making it to the gym. If I have a workout scheduled then I am going to be there short of being hospitalized or dead. I actually did pretty well working out alone as my desire to improve and challenge myself comes from within. I also enjoyed the flexibility to adjust my training time if I needed to without checking with someone else first. Everything was up to me and only me so I had complete power over my workouts and what I got out of them.

For the next six years I went through periods of training with a partner and training by myself. Some workout partners were good, some were not so great, and some were terrible. I found that I was at my all time best when I was training with a good workout partner who was as motivated as I was in the gym. However, I also found that I was better off by myself than with a crappy workout partner who may miss workouts, show up unmotivated to train, or talk excessively during the workout about non-training related issues. I realized that finding a great workout partner was not easy at all!

After moving to a new city and trying a few more training partners that did not work out, I went through a long spell of training on my own. I figured I was better off going at it alone than being dragged down by someone else. This worked well and I learned to ask for spots from others in the gym. The problem with this is that you never know what type of spot you are going to get and the consistency is just not there. About two years ago, I was introduced to a client of one of the trainers at the gym. He just seemed like a normal middle-aged man who was a little overweight. About three months later I received a phone call from this person, Doug. He told me that he had lost some weight and learned his way around the weight room, but that now he wanted to take it to the next level and asked me to train him so that he could do what I was doing. I told him the best thing I could offer him was to train with me every morning and I would teach him everything I do and explain why I do it. He agreed and seemed all gung ho; however, I did not get my hopes up as I have had plenty of training partners who seemed motivated at first, but that quickly faded after a few months of intense workouts.

To make a long story short, Doug and I are still training together every morning and have established a great relationship as both training partners and friends. The progress Doug has made since we have been training together has been nothing short of incredible, and he is not only motivated to improve himself but also motivates me as well. He is even getting stronger than me on some exercises, which really keeps me motivated to step it up! I feel very lucky to have found such a great training partner and have been able to take my training efforts to a higher level as a result. While finding a good training partner can be difficult (heck, it took my almost seven years!), I believe that doing so will allow you to take your training efforts to a higher level than training alone no matter how self-motivated you are. I can think of numerous times when I have attempted a new heavier weight or gone for an extra rep, where there is no way I would have done so without having my training partner there. The consistent spots, motivation, competitive drive, camaraderie, and having someone to tell you when your form does not look right are the biggest advantages I believe you will gain from having a good training partner. If you are looking to take your training to the next level and do not have a training partner then I encourage you to seek out a good training partner as soon as possible. You may have to go through some bad ones to find someone with goals that are similar to yours, but be patient and keep looking. If a workout partner turns out to be bad then dont let them slow you down. Dump em and train by yourself until you find a good one!

Advantages of having a workout partner:

Consistent spots allow you to go for heavier weights and build more muscle while maintaining safety

Motivation you and your partner provide for each other

Someone to watch your form

Competitive drive to push both of you to new levels

Camaraderie and friendship

Accountability to show up at the gym.

Disadvantages of having a workout partner:

Bad workout partners can distract you and keep you from being your best

Must have ability to be flexible and plan any time changes with another person

You give up some control and power with a training partner

Workouts may take longer

To learn how to obtain a free copy of Russ's brand new E-book "27 Must-Have Tips For a Complete Physique Transformation" visit http://www.completephysiquetransformation.com

Russ Yeager's Health and Fitness 2006 All rights reserved. Use of this article is permitted for your newsletter, website, or other publication as long as the content is not altered including all active links.