Long time lurker and I’ve been going hard as fuck in the gym for the past 2 months. But I feel like I could make so much more progress if I had a lifting buddy to push each other, maintain accountability and just make things more fun for me in the gym.
Sometimes I want to feel like a kid, approach someone in the gym I see often and just ask if they’d like a partner to work with. Sort of like being on the playground. But I am honestly somewhat shy so I haven’t tried this yet.
I’m wondering how you guys would feel if someone new just approached you and asked if they could lift with you. I’ve browsed NextDoor looking for people in my situation and even my local subreddit, but to no avail.
Finding a workout partner is like holy grail. I gave up trying to find one a few years ago, simply because the following need to align:
Schedule
Commitment
Locale
If those are aligned, then the following should be aligned:
intensity
Strength level
Goals
I once had someone who’s scheduled aligned with my mine, but their goals were to be ‘fit’, which just meant lean and their intensity wasn’t even breaking a sweat.
Do it. Be friendly with someone you recognize that trains around same time as you and ask ‘Can I work in with you?’, ‘what are you doing next?’ Etc.
I’d be nice, but not amused. I train at home mostly, but when I’m in a gym, I give very short rests and don’t talk because I’m on a lunch break.
All is very true. But at this age, lifting information is a finger tips away. One of the greatest advantages of a workout partner is removed.
I started lifting weights in 1968. You had to make an effort to avoid getting a workout partner. All of the information came from the magazines and whatever you might overhear in the gym. Most had workout partners and there was some lifting groups, examples: Bench press parties and squat parties (especially with only one power rack to squat.) Clearly, ideas were shared and progress of others was there to see.
Today, it is very rare to see anyone working in when someone is using a piece of equipment. People are far more private now.
The gym culture has badly degraded over the last three decades. If you want a workout partner you will need to be forward and extremely socially friendly. About the only people I see working out together are high school kids who workout in small groups.
Exactly! You start by making friends with people that work out around the same time as you. Keep in mind some people are going to reject you or they may be there not to chat. Don’t get discouraged. Not many people want a gym partner that’s not a friend so again that’s your first step. Once you’re buddy buddy with a few of the members then you ask.
Thanks for your response (and thank you everyone else as well). I’m 27 and like you, all I ever see are the younger kids in school lifting together. Maybe 80% of the folks in my gym are lifting alone and the other 20% are with a wife/gf or fall into the high school squad category.
It’s so much quieter than I’d expect it to be. Nothing like the intensity you see in the older gym clips. It’s almost like I can feel more testosterone through the screen than I can walking into my gym. Heck, I almost never see anyone squinting and going to failure. Blah..
Thanks for the encouragement. I’m going to start asking a few people here and there to help me with a spot and see if I can kick it with some regulars since I’m there around the same time mon-fri. I’ve even considered hiring a trainer just so I can get the extra push and a fist bump after a crazy set.
Anyways, it’s great to hear from guys like you that have been lifting since way before I was even around… Cheers brotha’
What sort of training are you doing ? what type of gym are you going to ? Lots of strongman and powerlifting gyms have group training sessions that you can join. This can be a good way to train with like minded individuals and maybe find someone who’s schedule and goals are close enough to your own to train with.
I’m mostly beginning my bodybuilding aspirations again after two years off the wagon. There are only big box gyms in my little boring town of Sarasota, FL. Of the 5-6 in the area it’s the newest built gym, EoS Fitness, which is lightly scattered across the US but nowhere near as big as LA Fitness, Crunch, etc. They have group classes but are more “body pump” and yoga/pilates classes everyday. I have yet to see any powerlifting groups getting together and there’s nothing in the locals.
Honestly there is 10x the opportunity up in Tampa, but that’s 45 minutes from me and up to an hour drive in-season.
If you are asking me…the answer is yes and it was two times
one of the best workouts i ever had pertaining to the feeling of the after effects
it can only be done two times a week, usually full body of seven machines and the trainers push you to failure under strict form of 3 second positive, one second pause while the weight shifts and at least 5 second negative
