Never underestimate the importance of a good gym buddy and their ability to make or break a workout. At their best, they can encourage you to push harder and be better, but if their commitment and attitude is lacking, it can be contagious and there is a chance you’ll end up just going through the motions. A competent workout buddy will provide feedback on your form and spot you to make the workout safer, and let’s be honest, a bit of healthy competition and social interaction never hurt anyone!
While I have briefly outlined what an ideal gym buddy might be, in reality, just like any type of partnership, things are unlikely to be perfect and there will always be hardships. However, that doesn’t mean things can’t be better which is why I have formulated the checklist of things you and your buddy should be doing to take your partnership to the next level:
- Communicating – this is important because it will ensure both your training needs are met. You and your buddy are not the same person and will therefore have differing preferences when it comes to working out. For example, there might be a specific exercise that your buddy loves to do but you loathe because it aggravates a past injury, or they may insist on doing a workout that you feel is less than optimal. Unless you communicate with them, they will not know that the workout is less than ideal for you and you’ll be unable to find a solution that accommodates both your training needs.
- Motivating and supporting – as I mentioned earlier, your gym buddy has the ability to motivate or demotivate you and likewise, you have the same power over them. You should both be pushing each other to work harder. For example, you might shout at them to complete one extra rep or slap their back before a heavy set to get them ‘amped’. It could be as simple as telling them that they done a good job and acknowledging their improvement. There is no right or wrong way to motivate each other, but it is definitely something you should be doing whenever you’re working out together.
- Organising – obviously, to work out with your gym buddy, you both need be in the same place at the same time. We all live busy lives and have other priorities which may mean we can’t always make it to the gym. Therefore, make sure you create a workout schedule that suits you both. For example, if you finish work at 5pm meaning that a 6pm gym start is perfect for you, what about your gym partner, if they finish at 5.30pm? They may very well have to endure a manic rush just to make it to the gym on time. Again, communication is your friend here so that you can create a schedule that suits you both and prevents the partnership from breaking down later on. If you know you won’t be able to make it to the gym on a particular day, tell your gym partner in advance so that they can make alternative arrangements, so that their workout is not negatively impacted.
- Enjoying – there is nothing worse than training with someone who obviously doesn’t want to be at the gym. It can zap your motivation and mood. There is nothing wrong with disliking the gym and only going because you want to enjoy the benefits that come with training but at least try and pretend you’re half enjoying yourself, for your partner’s sake!
- Respecting – you and your buddy are equals and therefore should share responsibility for loading up the bar and putting weights away. If you’re sweating, wipe down the bench after using it so your partner doesn’t have to lie in your bodily fluids every time they do a set.
- Trusting – this can mean a whole number of different things within the context of the gym. It may mean not letting your partner down by turning up for sessions and making sure you’re punctual. Remember, it’s not just your progress that is negatively impacted when you decide not to go to the gym. Being trustworthy also means being honest, for example, if your gym partner didn’t hit depth on their squat, then tell them, better they know so they can improve instead of continuing to practice poor form. If you’re supposed to be spotting them on the bench press, don’t let them fail and drop the bar on their chest because you were distracted by the cutie who just walked past.
- Competing – as I mentioned earlier on, competition can be healthy and motivating. If you’re both of similar ability, then why not have a competition to see who can hit a specific weight or race time first. If one of you is more advanced, then why not compete to see who can add a set amount of weight to their personal best on a given exercise in the quickest time possible, or who can knock the most time of their run.
Remember not all gym buddies are made equal, so try and find yourself a good one and make sure to reciprocate by being the best gym buddy you can be. It’s a two-way process after all. Can you think of anything I’ve missed? Please comment below and I’ll make sure I get back to you with my thoughts.
The Fitness Project 