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Workout partners can be either helpful or detrimental depending on if you find the right fit. There are different kinds of workout partners and different criteria they must fit to make them a worthy partner for you. You need to keep in mind that if your workout partner is not the right fit for you, you may want to consider working out alone rather than with the wrong partner. The wrong partner could even be your life partner, spouse, girlfriend/boyfriend or even your best friend.
The Basic Motivator
The most basic of workout partners is the one who you simply “go with”. They don’t have anything to do with your workout other than getting you out of the house and to the gym or wherever your are working out. They can be a powerful motivator on those days you just can’t seem to get yourself out of the house to get your workout in. You will feel more accountable if you have a plan to go workout “with” someone. No one wants to disappoint a workout partner on top of feeling guilty for skipping a workout. However, if you don’t pick someone equally as accountable as yourself, you could end up with someone who motivates you to stay home rather than go workout.
The Close Match
This partner has similar goals, enjoys much of the same workout regimen but will sometimes want to do things a little different or on their own. This person is not a bad workout partner as long as you don’t sacrifice your own goals or methods to try and make them happy. This is the person that may want to do different exercises or may want to do some cardio before/after the workout when you don’t. This is NOT the person that comes to the gym with you and goes and does their own thing (that would be the basic motivator). This partner is more helpful because they can spot you, motivate you and challenge you. They may even give you ideas for new workouts/exercises to try.
The Perfect Match
The perfect workout partner is someone who has the exact same goals and enjoys your workouts as much as you do. These partners can also add a hint of variety to your workouts to keep you on your toes and keep workouts from getting stale, but their overall workout plan should not differ too much from your own. These partners will match your pace and intensity if running or lifting, or challenge you to push yourself if you need it. They will know how to spot you properly and give you the perfect amount of time between sets by doing their own set in between yours. They challenge you to increase the weight or intensity, but not too much where you are using too much weight and sacrificing form or tempo.
Summary
All of these partners have benefits as long as you aren’t trying to make them into a type of workout partner they aren’t. What will happen is one of you will end up sacrificing some of your goals, methods or overall satisfaction to meet one another in the middle. To be clear, you don’t NEED a workout partner at all to have success in your fitness journey. Sometimes you can get all the motivation or challenge you need from yourself or from various other sources (see my “Needs Some Motivation” post). If you find a good fit with any of the above or you need someone to help push you, start talking to your friends or loved ones. You are bound to find someone who has similar goals. You shouldn’t have to “talk them into it” however, or they will generally only become a hinderance on your journey.
I have had many workout partners throughout my years in they gym and have always found a way to make it work. They would generally fall into one of the 3 categories above. I tend to workout alone more often than not however (mostly because I am stubborn and I workout pretty early in the morning). I am the type of person who can motivate myself for the most part and has no problem with challenging myself and pushing myself. Now and then a friend will come to the gym with me and jump in for some exercises, but they mostly do their own thing. I have gone to the gym with my wife plenty of times as well, but she also tends to do her own thing.