Two to 3 days every week I teach a stationary bike class at an area studio, where every second of my training is spent getting other people excited, memorizing choreography, and principally attempting to placed on a mini-concert for my riders. So on the opposite three days of the week, when I am going to the gym as a part of my very own weightlifting program, I crave solitude and space to focus. Ideally, I could sneak out and in of the gym without ever talking to a different soul.
But last month, I made a decision to try a distinct approach to strength training: recruit an exercise buddy. My sister and I are gym rats, although I’ve at all times been drawn to the endorphins cardio gives me, while she loves lifting weights. Since I used to be searching for someone to push me, I knew he could be the right partner—but perhaps not willing. Blame it on our genetics, but she also thinks solo gym sessions are higher.
So once I planned tandem training once every week as a monthly fitness experiment, I assumed it could take slightly persuasion. Surprisingly, she only had one caveat: “Sure, but I can load your weight.”
I agreed, stupidly considering he’d forget his rule once we got to the gym.
We religiously stuck to our weekly gym dates and sometimes dragged them out for an additional day or two. And while I’m not completely renouncing my love of solo weightlifting sessions, I’ve noticed some significant changes due to my latest gym buddy.
I picked up way heavier
Even before we began doing squats, presses, and curls together, my sister suspected I wasn’t lifting as much weight as I used to be able to. So, on our first trip to partner training, she loaded up the hip pusher with what She I assumed I could do. After much complaining and a number of desperate pleas for her to take her plate off, I knocked out three sets of eight reps for a latest personal best. Then I did PR’ing Romanian Deadliftbarbell squats, AND back lunges with dumbbells.
(Okay, perhaps she was right.)
The better part of hitting those PRs with a partner was that I didn’t need to worry about unknowingly sacrificing my form. I knew she’d call me if I began slipping. Hell, she would taste This.
Once I knew what it was like to succeed in max weight, I began picking up heavier solo workouts. Week after week I surprised myself with a shocking twist AND I made a decision to practice alone – no hemming or hawing.
I used to be more consistent
One of essentially the most common reasons people recruit a friend on their fitness journey is to be responsible. No one desires to be the one who doesn’t show up for that 6am bike class you promised to go to together. While I’m normally pretty good at sticking to my three days of weightlifting, there are occasions when an extended day on the office or my snooze button is tempting me to skip. But my sister and I never missed a gym date.
In the spirit of full transparency, there have been days when definitely tried pay a deposit. In fact, I almost succumbed to a nap and missed our first morning session. So would I if my latest gym friend didn’t live with me: she performed a spirited version of Gloria Estefan’s “Get on Your Feet” in our kitchen so loud it was practically inconceivable to sleep.
I still managed to “get out”
One of the explanations I really like to exercise alone is to have the ability to be with my thoughts. I find that I do my best problem solving and emotional inventory once I am walking miles or lifting something heavy. So I used to be apprehensive that having my sister in tow would make me talk more and introspect less.
Maybe it’s because we each value time alone, but I’ve found that training together still gives you loads of time to reflect. Sure, we joked between sets or dropped an encouraging one-liner during those jittery final reps, but we didn’t talk a lot that I could not find my mental rhythm.
I gained more confidence within the gym
My sister didn’t just push me to lift weights. Within a month, she taught me easy methods to use latest machines that I had never touched before and showed me some exercise modifications that I had never tried before. And she made me feel like I deserved to take up as much space as everyone else: watching her move across the gym with confidence and luxury empowered me to do the identical.
I spent more quality time with someone I really like
Between our work schedules and our social lives, my sister and I do not at all times catch up beyond asking “Did you feed the dog?” and “Is the dishwasher clean or dirty?”
Those fixed gym dates were conducive to a more purposeful time together than sitting on the couch scrolling through our respective TikToks at the top of the day. We laughed, exhaled, gossiped and argued like only sisters. I’m lucky enough to call her one in every of my best friends, and our weekly workouts jogged my memory to not take it with no consideration.
Even though the month-long experiment is technically over, we have found that understanding together at the very least once every week has grow to be something of a habit – and we enjoy it. Besides, I’m waiting for the day when AND be the one who shouts “Get on Your Feet” in front of her bedroom door.
