Bodybuilding is a serious commitment. Finding your way to the gym after a long day at work or school can be difficult at times. But, we do it anyway. It is as if a primary gene took us there. So there you are, the music blaring in your ears, the touch of cold, scratchy metal against the palm of your hand, and that heady combination of muscle pumping and cold sweat. It’s a fast-paced feeling and we’ve all been there. But, just because you’ve managed to break a sweat and some muscle pumps doesn’t mean you’re getting the most out of your workout.
If you go to the gym without a partner you are already one step behind the competition. What competition? If you think you have no competition, either you ignore the fact or you are simply lying. That disappointing feeling that you’re not big enough or strong enough, that guy/girl who lifts more than you on the squat rack, or those weights that will send your body into humiliating shock if you dare to lift them. That is your competition.
The problem with not having a partner in the gym is that you don’t have a safety net. Let me explain; Let’s say your bench press is stuck at 225lbs. No matter what your exercise regimen is or how hard you train, you just can’t get that number to go up. The problem is that you could be training harder. Going solo on the bench press leaves that fear of not being able to push that weight up hard in the back of your mind. Don’t be that person who suffers the pain and embarrassment of having that bar crush your torso. By having a training partner, you can avoid this pitfall and get those extra two reps in or bump that weight up a couple extra pounds and feel safe knowing someone has your back.
Don’t you have friends who lift? Go make some. The gym is the perfect place to make friends who share your passion for fitness. Look around you, observe the landscape. There are plenty of people who train alone who would benefit as much from a training partner as you do. Don’t let a person’s size or athletic ability intimidate you. They both share the same goal, to improve themselves. So the next time you’re in the gym, ask for a spot, maybe make a friend, and eventually reap those gains that have been hiding below the surface.