Many people make the mistake of not having a training partner. Whether you are looking to start exercising, trying to get fitness back into your life or a regular exerciser or athlete, everyone can benefit from having suitable training partners. Those looking to maintain a good exercise routine will benefit from a workout partner through being kept accountable while those who are super motivated to train by themselves can benefit by an increase in intensity that a workout partner brings. Having a workout partner is not always practical and sometimes schedule's do not match, however just having them there for one workout a week can make a big difference to your workouts and intensity. Here are 3 big reasons for why you need to make sure you have a training buddy going forward.
Friendly competition - no-one likes falling behind in a workout and everyone has that little more to give during a workout. As long as you have a friend at a similar fitness level, your intensity will rise and you will push yourself much harder than if you were to workout by yourself. Training partners can push each other to train at an intensity that is hard to achieve from working out by yourself. Those encouraging words, or a little tough love can give you that push to crank out a few extra reps or run that much faster, improving your workout and future results overall.
Keep you accountable - Accountability is a massive factor in staying on track with your goal. It can be easy to slack off on a goal that no-one but you knows about. Having a training partner can keep you accountable to get to your workouts and keep the intensity up. Your training partner can also help motivate you when you are feeling discouraged or demotivated by reminding you of why you started your goal. Since your training partner is likely a friend, they will know how to encourage and motivate you to get back on track.
Stay motivated - all we need is a little bit of encouragement or to know that someone is watching and supporting us, to help us push out that last rep, run that bit faster, go the extra mile, or hang in there for another minute. Even better is receiving your workout partner’s “well done”, high-five or pat on the back after your big effort. Having a workout partner can help inspire you to keep going and get even better.
What to Look for In a Training Partner
So how do you choose a training partner? Not everybody is a suitable training partner and that is okay. It is important to seperate who is appropriate for the activity you are doing. The first things to consider are fitness goals and ability. To get the most out of your time together it is helpful that you and your potential training buddy are of similar fitness levels. This allows you to train in a similar way and same level of intensity. The next thing to consider is your schedules. In this area it is good to be flexible, training at a different time of day than you are used to is a small sacrifice when you have the benefit of training with a partner. Lastly make sure you pick a training partner that has a positive attitude and can motivate you. We all get down from time to time, and a training partner that can recognise this and knows what to say or do to lift you up, can be a big tool in achieving your goals.
Like this post? Make sure to press the love heart in the bottom corner below.
Comments