How important is a workout partner to you?

[carverelli]

Sometimes a good partner can help me stay motivated, even make me go workout when I would otherwise bail. But it's hard to find a good one, ons that believes in the same principles I do and has silmilar goals. I usually end up working out alone, simply because our schedulex don't mesh or he thinks some exercises are crucial when I think they're worthless.
This isn't really an AAS thread but it seems good discussion lately has been hard to come by.
My current partner has been great. Older than me by a few years, I've got him finally convinced that you don't have to lift heavy all the time to build muscle. We've been experimenting with partial reps at the weak point of a rom to tear muscle fibers.

Time under tension has also been a change in my routines. Pause reps etc and super drop down sets.
Although he is trying to add lbs snd I'm trying to subtract ( mostly recomp) our routine is mostly the same. I'll help spot him on hack squats after I do my lunges. Hacks play havoc on my old knees, and I'm trying to build an ass Ive never had.

To me the key to a successful workout partnership(like any relationship) is the willingness to compromise.

 

[inhaus]

I can't stand working out with other people. Only encourages slower progress, shooting the chit, and less actual lifting. I never do 1RM so I don't need a spot and i'll usually do free weights on bench and then finish to failure on a machine. I don't buy the motivation bit either... Either you want to be in the gym or you don't, nobody can make you do anything you aren't already capable of doing and if you won't do it on your own, you won't sustain it when they leave anyways.

 

[judoka81]

To me the key to a successful workout partnership(like any relationship) is the willingness to compromise.

Yikes. I'd never compromise my workout just because someone else prefers different exercises or has a different opinion.

 

[carverelli]

Never and always are a long long time. Flexibility and being teachable are the key to progression IMO.

 

[judoka81]

Consistency is the key to progression, why do you sound like you're so willing to bend to your workout partners will? are you desperately lonely and so badly want to please someone else so as to 'comprimise' (quoting you) your beliefs and opinions?

 

[49ER]

Wish I had one but I don't have any friends

 

[inhaus]

Wish I had one but I don't have any friends

I used to have those... not worth it, better off on your own unless you need constant ego stroking or someone who is in a shitty situation to make you feel better about yourself. they serve no real purpose IMO, I'm close with my family and that's about it.

 

[carverelli]

Didn't want an argument, just a discussion. Consistency is important I agree, but you can be consistent without progression. For example, I've lifted pretty much the same way for 20 years. Approaching 50, Ive learned I can get as good if not better workout without injuries from lifting lighter using other techniques to break down muscle tissue.
I'm not sure how you interpreted my OP to mean I'm so desperate to have a so rkout partner that I'm willing to forego all my chosen exercises to my partners choices so he'll work out with me. I assure you,'that's not the case.
Case in point, I rarely do the exact same back workout 2x in a row. As long as I do some overhead move and several rows. There are just too many good exercises that are beneficial to fit them all in the same session. I'll comprimise pulldowns for pull-ups etc.

And don't make it sound like I won't work out unless I have a partner. I'd have to say over the course of 30 years of picking things up an putting them down, I've lifted with a partner less than 5%.

You don't ever comprimise anything..... I get it. congratulations

 

[Mad- scientist]

Lol it's hard to post something now days without people going crazy on you. I personally think a good work out partner is a blessing if you can find one. I feel like I could have greatly benefitted from a work out partner over the years I just never could find one.

 

[halfwit]

A workout partner that meets all the criteria is worth their weight in gold. Same motivation, all business in the gym, similar schedule, and similar level of advancement are what I look for.

Unfortunately, I haven't found someone to fit that bill in a very long time. Outside a gorgeous female athlete on occasion to do cardio with.

Until then, I'll have to settle for flying solo like many others.

 

[bigmax67]

No regular workout partners for me. They always want to talk to much.

 

[China_Wall]

I can't stand working out with other people. Only encourages slower progress, shooting the chit, and less actual lifting. I never do 1RM so I don't need a spot and i'll usually do free weights on bench and then finish to failure on a machine. I don't buy the motivation bit either... Either you want to be in the gym or you don't, nobody can make you do anything you aren't already capable of doing and if you won't do it on your own, you won't sustain it when they leave anyways.

sounds like you've never trained with someone more advanced than yourself

 

[Onk]

I'd kill for a good partner. But for reasons others have written it doesn't work out. It does save my joints, because as soon as I get a partner I lift heavier knowing I can be spotted and that's going to be more dangerous

 

[bigben66]

I've been training 25yrs, and I can count my old training partners on one hand.

Yes, it's good from time to time - to work in with someone - or maybe I'd sporadically say to someone, wanna join in with me?

But I'm yet to find anyone who can keep up with me week-by-week, and I'm not willing to lower my standards to accommodate them.

 

[inhaus]

sounds like you've never trained with someone more advanced than yourself

as most everyone else in the thread is echoing, it's pretty darn hard to find someone who is dedicated these days. I lift at my local powerhouse in a decently populated area and I swear I've only seen one person in my brief time there who actually lifts... and he is HUGE, probably a competitor, looks like he has dorian lats.

So let's say I walk up to that guy and by some miracle he would actually conisder working in with me. The dude is beyond me, I mean he's beyond anyone natty, 95% of enhanced people, and most of humanity... What in the world could I offer this guy? If he's enhancing my experience, I'm lowering his. Somebody has to lose in the equation and it's nearly impossible to find someone who is exactly where you're at and who has a schedule that will work with yours.


I guess some people like it more than others but as someone who's very consistent and serious, I can't let someone elses BS effect my progress...

 

[bigben66]

One other thing I failed to mention...

My methods seem to differ vastly from a lot of other gym users.
For me it's about muscle hypertrophy and nothing else matters. My goal when I walk into the gym, is to obliterate the target muscle so it can't do another damn rep. And then get out.

I don't count reps, I don't count sets, I go by feel and my workout is controlled solely by mind-muscle connection.

I'm sick of hearing all of this "How many reps am I doing?" nonsense between lifting partners. Yes, fair enough, if they are lifting purely for strength progression, then that's ok, you have to follow a structure. I understand that.

But if I'm training chest for example, and I want to annihilate the pecs - I'll be incorporating drop sets, supersets, rest-pause sets, fail sets, time-under-tension work, controlled isometric contractions etc etc

Trying to facilitate a training partner into all of this would be a nightmare!

 

[Beefy Nugz]

I would like to have a workout partner! I lift in my basement and all my friends are either to fat and lazy or our schedules do not work. I just think its nice to have a spotter so when you get up that last struggling rep and there's no way you possibly do another rep...your partner puts his finger on the bar and helps you get two more reps in!!! Aside from that im good lifting on my own

 

[inhaus]

One other thing I failed to mention...

My methods seem to differ vastly from a lot of other gym users.
For me it's about muscle hypertrophy and nothing else matters. My goal when I walk into the gym, is to obliterate the target muscle so it can't do another damn rep. And then get out.

I don't count reps, I don't count sets, I go by feel and my workout is controlled solely by mind-muscle connection.

I'm sick of hearing all of this "How many reps am I doing?" nonsense between lifting partners. Yes, fair enough, if they are lifting purely for strength progression, then that's ok, you have to follow a structure. I understand that.

But if I'm training chest for example, and I want to annihilate the pecs - I'll be incorporating drop sets, supersets, rest-pause sets, fail sets, time-under-tension work, controlled isometric contractions etc etc

Trying to facilitate a training partner into all of this would be a nightmare!

would train with/10 ^

I go the same route with reps/sets, don't care. I try to keep track of the weight I'm doing to be sure I'm progressing but I don't go in to do 3 sets of 10 at 225, I'll do my first set and if I can hit twelve, I will. If I can do 5 sets instead of 3, I will. My goal is to be struggling hard by the last rep to near failure, then usually drop set down until rekt. I'll usually have a few exercises in mind that I'll want to do and do them until my body tells me to fuk off.

 

[bigben66]

I would like to have a workout partner! I lift in my basement and all my friends are either to fat and lazy or our schedules do not work. I just think its nice to have a spotter so when you get up that last struggling rep and there's no way you possibly do another rep...your partner puts his finger on the bar and helps you get two more reps in!!! Aside from that im good lifting on my own

Can't you just rack the heavier bar and rep out with some lighter weights instead?

Training is all about thinking outside the box... If you have a spotter, use forced reps - if you don't have a spotter, do a drop set, or rest-pause set.

Remember: failure with a selected weight, doesn't mean muscle failuire.
In layman's terms: just because you can't do another rep at 'x' weight, doesn't mean you can't drop to 'y' weight and crank out a few more.

 

[snowpatrol123]

I train with people sometimes but I wouldn't consider them partners, typically I'm more advanced but don't mind teaching/helping as we go through the workout as long as it doesn't slow me down too much (and it shouldn't)

It'd be great to find someone with more experience or at least very similar capabilities to push me, but I typically don't have a problem motivating myself and the people that train with me sometimes are capable enough that (with instruction) they can assist with forced reps, and other advanced training techniques that aren't possible training solo