How Partner Personal Training Can Be The Motivation You Need To Get In Shape

Personal training isn't always what you expect. When you think of working out with a trainer, you probably picture them enthusiastically cheering you on to complete the last few reps of an exercise when you're about to give up. And for some, that kind of encouragement is just what they need to push themselves. But for others, that thought alone can be quite intimidating. Many beginners consider getting a personal trainer to help them navigate the gym, but they're terrified by the idea of a professional watching them do something incorrectly and pushing them to the point of failure in each session. 

If you're one of those people, you should know that personal training doesn't have to be scary. In fact, it doesn't have to be entirely personal either. You can opt for partner personal training sessions where you're both paired with a personal trainer. Depending on your goals, your trainer will create tailor-made exercise plans, where either your entire workout or portions of it will be done together. Partner personal training sessions don't have to be with a romantic partner either. You can go with just about anyone who's supportive and willing to get a good workout sesh in! 

Depending on the trainer, two-on-one sessions can be a more cost-effective option because you can split the training fees with your partner. But be forewarned; partner personal training sessions can help you get the most out of your workouts, or they can worsen things exponentially — even outside of the gym. 

Getting two-on-one sessions with a personal trainer can motivate you to work harder to reach your fitness goals in two ways. First, you'll have greater accountability to show up to the gym, even when you're feeling unmotivated. Second, every relationship has a certain degree of healthy competition, and when your gym partner starts doing better, it might encourage you to work harder to match (or even beat) them. 

As a bonus, you'll have two cheerleaders throughout your workouts, encouraging you to get one more rep in when you feel like you've got nothing left in the tank. Gymtimidation can be a very real thing for beginners, but getting a personal trainer for you and a partner can take the edge off things. Instead of wandering around the gym looking for equipment to use, a personal trainer will tell you exactly what to do and how to do it. 

Even if you mess up, you won't freak out because your partner will be there to ease the situation by helping you laugh it off. For many of us, it can be hard to make time for the people we care about with our busy schedules, but when you're both working together towards healthier selves, you'll be able to carve out time. It'll strengthen your relationship by giving you time to bond, a shared goal to work towards, and more to talk about. 

While two-on-one training sessions can be a great way to make time for someone you care about, your schedules must be at least somewhat aligned. Otherwise, it can lead to conflict in the relationship and even prevent you from enjoying the gym because you're under pressure to finish faster for your partner. Thus, with two-on-one training, your experience will depend heavily on your mindset.

Watching your partner progress through their fitness journey while you're struggling can be quite disheartening. It creates jealousy, insecurity, and conflicts and may even lead to overexertion to the point of injury. But if you think about it as an opportunity to gradually get stronger, you're more likely to have a positive outlook toward the journey. It's also crucial to pick the right person to train with.

You need somebody who pushes you but doesn't criticize you when you can't do another rep — your overly-competitive friend who can't stand to lose Monopoly won't be a good fit, for instance. To get the best experience, choose somebody whose fitness goals and levels are similar to yours. You also have to find exercise routines that work for both of you. Further, for many, the gym is a high-focus environment for some alone time. If either of you fits the bill, it's best to train alone.