I find getting a training partner really is beneficial, it motivates you, and gives you someone to keep up with. I found if you and a friend ask the gym for a program which fits around each other, but allows you to be working each other, you'll find your self working twice as hard as before. Pull the same weight forces you to add a few more Kg, running the same distance forces you to push your self that little extra.

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I agree with you actully, having someone to work out with is helpful and you guys do more work, me and my friends if we go run , we do triple then i do by my self, I run 5 miles every day and with a friend I can do like 15 miles because there is someone you can talk to and you don't get bored fast. You guys girls push each to do better more, I totalty suggest it.

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Yes I agree as well. I have worked out with one of my roomates for the past two years, since right after I came out of the US Marines, and I don't think I ever got out of shape, because my roomate pushed me to work hard, and I pushed him back. We have virtually the same scheduall as each other, so we can hit the gym almost every day and work hard for as long as possible.

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I fully agree too, when you do it yourself you're susceptible to bouts of insecurity, unwillingness or just plain lazy, and having somebody else there to go with you, do the workouts with you as well not only motivates many men like myself competitively but also you help each other, if you're going alone you figure if you skip a day that's okay, no big deal, but if you skip a day with a friend they'll come over and usually drag your *bottom* over to the gym or wherever you go to do the workout and they'll help keep you on track. I know i watch myself much more around my friends that work out with me rather than if i'm alone, i'm not sure why but it definitely gives a shift in mentality and helps me to focus on eating right, being healthier and not being some lazy SOB who never gets off his couch and just watches tv all day. I refuse to be apart of the growing trend of obesity in America and my friends help me to keep on track, I highly suggest each of you try to find somebody to work out with, it really can do wonders for you.

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It depends. In the gym I sometimes like it better to be all alone on my own cause if there is someone beside me it really prolongs my training cause we start chatting and stuff and this isn't good for the muscles

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It depends how your wavelenght matches with partner. If both are serious enough to exercise then this combination is best. If one is lazy but other partner is serious about fitness & convincing then he can convince the lazy partner to do the exercise. But if it is opposite, one is serious about fitness but other is lazy & convince the serious partner to have some leisure moments. Then it will prove counter productive to all the efforts made for fitness.

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I agree generally, but you have to pick your partner well. I worked out one summer with my buddy who is 6'7" 300lbs. I am 5'10" 190lbs and I was always pushing and doing the same weight as him many exercises. I found that to be a great situation.

Another time however I had a partner who would wait like 10 mins to use one machine if the gym was crowded. I couldn't stand the wait. If you stop your pump when lifting, it sucks and you won't gain as much muscle. You need to stress and work that muscle with only small breaks. Needless to say that partner was subpar for my workout style (a dedicated, fundamental weightlifter).

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The only people I'm friends with who would be willing to get off their rump this summer are either severely underweight or over. I'm overweight . . . but ehh.
And I guess you need to find a partner that's just as motivated as you. That's the main problem I run into. . . I had this one that we both started off the same weight . . . but then she just starved herself for a year and dropped 50lbs . . I only lost 10.

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Yep, having a workout partner is a good catalyst to reaching your target.
It provides both physical and psychological support which otherwise, if done alone, would have required a lot of self-motivation to get through.

With gyms brimming with new members, you cannot expect too much from your instructor after the initial push...........so if you can find a partner with similar goals as you have, you can be very well on your way up. You can track your collective progress on a daily basis, which would benefit both.
This would be a much better option for people who cannot afford money/time to spend on a personal trainer.

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