WHEN IT COMES TO AVOIDING EXERCISE, THERE ARE ALWAYS PLENTY OF EXCUSES. BUT A TRAINING PARTNER CAN HELP MOTIVATE YOU TO REACH YOUR GOALS, EVEN ON GLOOMY DAYS WHEN YOU’D RATHER BE IN BED…

The gym can be a lonely place when you have set out to achieve a goal. Its walls have witnessed many souls with a lack of motivation and an ability to make excuses as to why they can’t work hard enough to obtain results.  Work, low energy, poor sleep or simply the weather can hold you back. So how is it that not everyone is afflicted by these excuses?

Next time you enter the weight room, have a look at the cliques. You will notice that all the strong guys train in their own little group. They’re all stronger because of the team.  The energy a team can provide is enormous. We all need relationships in our lives to take things to the next level.

If you have played sports, you will remember sitting down before a match as the coach speaks. The game is getting closer and your energy levels are getting revved up. Your blood is moving fast, you can feel the adrenaline flowing and you’re at maximum level — level 10!   This is because everyone in the room has their own level 10, but when it’s combined for one goal, the energy goes off the chart!

You find yourself at a level you never thought possible. This can’t be achieved alone, so a training partner is a must to help you achieve your goal.  Training partners help provide the 3 “Cs”:

• Commitment: they should never miss a workout, turning up on time and helping you achieve your goal.  If you are making sacrifices to achieve your goal, your training partner has to do the same.

• Communication: they must be constantly encouraging you, keeping you focussed on the task at hand. They may give you verbal cueing, point out mistakes that you can correct or simply just spot you, handing you the bar at the right time.

• Competition: working with a training partner will help create an atmosphere in which an incredible effort always seems possible.

So how do you choose your training partner? There are certain characteristics that they must possess:

• Seeking a training partner is a bit like seeking a partner in marriage; you need someone who is an addition to your life — not someone who takes your energy away by dumping all their problems on you.

• They must have the same goals as you, whether that is to go on a strict diet, reduce body fat, increase your bench press, or to improve your running ability. Eg: A businessman looking for maintenance should not train with a full-time bodybuilder.

• A training partner has to be giving, and they have to care about your success as much as their own.

• A training partner will help motivate you to push yourself harder than you would alone, so it is important that they are willing to train at the same time as you.

• You may want to train with different partners for different goals.