by Ken LeClair

Look around the gym and you will see half the people there working out with their heads wired by earphones to another place or perhaps another time. Are they really into the gym scene or the bodybuilding scene? Did you ever see a professional soccer, baseball, cricket, basketball or football player with earphones blasting into his or her brain? No..no..no..Look around and you will see most of them working out by themselves, not making eye contact and usually not using the right weighs or the correct form…kind of like going to a restaurant by yourself.

Now take another look around and you will see the guys or girls or guys and girls who are working out with a partner or partners. These are the ones who are getting the most out of their workout and having the best time too. They set a time to be there and know they must be on time so as to not let their friend down.  They are the motivation for each other; together they get the endorphins going and the workout experience becomes one of joy and mutual satisfaction. Like a team winning the big game, every workout is a victory shared with others. Your workout partner becomes your personal trainer urging you on, introducing a new or different way of doing a exercise, spotting you so you don’t get hurt and helping you to maintain good form. Most of all a good workout partner will help keep you focused on your mutual goal which is to have a great body that is healthy, free of excess body fat and looks great in the mirror as well as on the beach. 　 So if you don’t have a great workout partner..take the head phones off, smile and say hello to others, offer to spot someone at the bench press, ask someone to spot you, offer to show someone a better way of doing something or just plain out ask someone if they would like to workout with you. I have 2 workout partners and I know that I am truly blessed as they are 2 of the greatest guys I have ever met.