The idea for this post came about the other day after my mate text me about going to the gym. It was then that I thought about the importance of mates in the gym and how they can inspire you to not skip your session and hit that new personal best.

Sometimes getting yourself motivated to go to the gym is hard. Especially in Britain where the rain is heavy, the wind is bitter and the sun is just something you read. When you’ve finished work and you’re tired and exhausted, the last thing on your mind is going to the gym.

We’re all guilty of it and even I sometimes get the urge to miss a gym session. So the best way to avoid this is by having a gym buddy. Here’s why they’re so important…

More motivation, less excuses

I find regular planned work out times with a partner means if you’re feeling lazy or lethargic you are less likely to miss your training. My friends can motivate me and push me in the right direction to get that session complete. Occasionally my inbox does become accustom to such message as “Where are you?” and “You best be en route”. Personally, I’m not a fan of letting my mates down so this is when I take that swig of pre-supplement, man up, shake off the cobwebs and go train. However everyone has their list of excuses, right?

Push each other

When you feel close to giving up, a training partner can be all the motivation you need. When I train with my mate Liam, I never leave the gym feeling as if I could have given more. We battle it out on weight and technique, positively criticising each other to get the most out of the session. After a few more reps you start to feel the burn, but afterwards you get that satisfying feeling of knowing you couldn’t have done anymore, especially if you had worked out alone.

You learn new workouts

One of the perks of having a gym buddy is that you can mix up your training and learn from each other. Sharing videos and new techniques you’ve learnt over the week means a session in the gym never has to be the same. For example I was training my calves the other day on the calf raising machine when my girlfriend suggested I tried a technique she learnt in her class a few weeks ago. It’s safe to say my legs have been killing me for about two days now just from trying something a new.

Train together, stay together

I guess I never really believed in this, but since training with my girlfriend quite regularly it’s had a positive affect on the both of us. It’s been great to see her achieve more and push on to the next level in her training. Although we like to train different areas, my favourite being upper body and hers being cardio, we do have a common ground and train arms and legs together. We will both admit we can be a little lazy during our evening workouts so she’s always on hand to push me into cardio as I would easily put this off until my next session, or the one after! But it works both ways. I’m always on hand to push her with her weight training and as a result of this her strength and her abs have developed tenfold. Yes I’m a lucky guy.

Discover new people

It can be a bit daunting when starting a gym if you don’t know anyone. So just saying hi to someone you see everyday can make all the difference. It’s amazing how many people you can meet and get along with at the gym. For instance, you might be with your group of friends and they know someone you don’t. You’re then introduced to them and if you see them again at a later stage it can make asking for a spot when training solo a lot less awkward than asking a stranger. With new people also comes new ideas so after training with someone new you may find you can try some new techniques you learnt from them in your everyday workouts.

If you haven’t got yourself a gym buddy yet, go find one!