Pros and cons of a workout partner

[Gibson]

I workout alone probably 98% of the time. Most of my friends are lazy and the ones that do workout live pretty far from me or have mixed schedules. I do like when I get a chance to lift with one of my buddies though. At times I wish I had someone there alongside me motivating me. When I think about it, however, there seems like there's more cons than pros, such as:

Your workouts aren't the same therefore your rest periods are unintentionally increased due to spotting diff exercises

Conversations either about fitness or something else can get prolonged resulting in lost workout time

Your partner is probably not at the same strength/fitness level as you so expectations of each other can be distorted

Probably most important: No one's body is the same, so certain pieces of advice given to each other may hinder each other's progress

I guess my main point is that bodybuilding and powerlifting are both very individual sports. I think a workout partner can serve a purpose as a spotter and a motivator, but that's IT. Let the debating begin!

[MrsRiley]

My fitness buddy and I keep in contact over email...we use the same equipment but have our own schedules of what we do and when we do it. It works very well cuz we can ask each other's opinions and motivate each other but we do our actual workouts alone so there is no workout time lost. Sometimes knowing I hafta report to her the next day is the only thing that pushes me to workout if I don't really feel like it that day.

[Klinger]

I prefer to work alone. I can't tell you how many times I've been at the gym and a couple of guys who were rolling along pretty good suddenly get bogged down in some conversation that interrupts their workout (and ties up a work station) for 5, 10 minutes at a time.

There definitely is room for BS-ing in the weight room, but I think the likelihood of goofing off goes up exponentially when you're with a partner.

My method: See weight, lift weight, move on to the next weight. :

[Aikawa]

yea, I agree with gibson. Having a partner can make you lose focus, but it is a big benefit when doing a heavy set, such as 4 reps at 85-90%. Personally when i don't have a spotter i tend to hold back... so there's definitely pros and cons to it

[Mr VW]

I am the same way. Well I dont really hold back while performing any excercises unless I am alone in the house. Usually when my cousin comes to visit our workouts vary differently and so we do them at different times but the other is always there to offer a spot if one of us needs it. I think that a workout partner is a waste of time. All they should is spot you and be there as a motivator. Thats just my opinion.

[jgriffith]

I like having a workout partner, since I'm going for strength right now, short rest intervals really arent important to me. If you check my journal I only go with heavy heavy sets. So its nice to have a person there to look out for you. I think you both need to be on the same page as far as when someone needs help and when someone doesnt however. Having a workout partner does ensure that I dont take days off or go half ass on certain exercises, so thats nice too.

[Axion]

I think i good workout partner would be nice, for pretty much the same reason jgriffith mentioned. On certain things, bench and squat specifically, it can really be a good thing to have a spotter. Also, as mentioned having somone who is an "intense" partner can really motivate you on your sluggish days.

[kenyon21]

as long as you have a quality workout partner that's got the same degree of dedication and is just as serious about it as you, i don't see what the negatives could be.

i know me personally, i workout with my best friend who has a completely different body type than i do. but we do the same routine and spot each other\encourage each other, and we really don't waste time. i mean yeah we talk and everything definitely, but it's not to the point that we screw up our workouts for it. we interupt the conversations to do a set or finish an exercise then keep going from there.

Originally Posted by Axion

Also, as mentioned having someone who is an "intense" partner can really motivate you on your sluggish days

couldn't agree more.

i think as long as you choose a workout partner that suits your needs, goals, and leve of committment, that it's a positive thing. i mean ok yeah, maybe they'll make you rest an extra minute or two between a set, but if they make up for it with pushing you for those extra reps each workout and get you into the gym when you don't wanna go, i think that's more than a good trade.

[USFman]

I think the best part of a workout partner is the motivation... You compete with each other and motivate each other to go everyday. BS'ing helps a little also, because you need to have some fun at the gym. Of course another big benefit is spotting. When I work out by myself I have to do a lot less weight

Originally Posted by kenyon21

as long as you have a quality workout partner that's got the same degree of dedication and is just as serious about it as you, i don't see what the negatives could be.

There really are none. Get the right person, one who fits your dedication and personality, and you can make some great gains.

I had a partner for for two years and we clicked really well in the gym. It made it easy to never to blow off workouts, and once there to get motivated to have a great workout. Made some really good gains with this guy, even though we weren't even close in the strength department. What counted was the dedication and commititment we brought to our workouts. :