Training Partners

Having a training partner is a very useful way of improving your progress in your training sessions. What are the good qualities of a training partner though? How should you act when training with someone else? For the answers to these questions look below.

Who to train with

Training with someone else can really speed  up the progress you make in the gym. They can help you perform more reps, lift heavier weights and break through plateaus with ease. However, they can be a massive distraction.
The ideal training partner is someone who is better than you are, but not my much. Training with someone who is better than you are lets you learn from their experience and skill. You also feel that you need to lift as much as you can because you want to be able to keep up. This is most beneficial on longer sets, when they have already done their set. You should feel that you need to match them or beat them. It should get competitive, and finishing that last set is a matter of pride being won or lost.
A training partner should also know how to spot. Having a good spotter assist you in your exercises gives you the confidence to lift more and push your boundaries. Whoever your training with should know when to step in and help. You don't want someone who is helping you through the whole of the exercise, they need to be stepping in when you are about to drop something on yourself.
 The gym isn't a social club, its a place to train. If someone insists on talking to you through all your sets and doesn't let you focus on lifting. Get rid of them. You can explain wherever else you like to socialize.