Combined Efforts

TWO CAN PERFORM BETTER THAN ONE

When we're working towards something hard like improving our levels of fitness, body strength and endurance, it takes a certain type of mental attitude to get the best out of our abilities.

On certain days, we may not be feeling quite as energetic or enthusiastic about training and either we skip a session, cut corners, use lower weights, put in shorter times or exert the minimum required effort. That's where a fitness professional comes in handy. Taking part in a group session or one-on-one personal coaching means the choice to under perform - which is usually the head and not the body talking, is taken away form us. Having a PT is a luxury most of us don't have - so the next best option is to train with a friend.

Mutual Benefits
Two training together means a few things. Firstly, the commitment. If both are mutually after the same goals of getting fit, then each will encourage the other to turn up. Turning up as they say, is arguably the hardest part! Secondly, having someone to bounce ideas off or suggest varied training techniques to work with means training sessions stay fresh and will help us to consistently follow a successful training routine. Thirdly, an extra level of support and even a healthy bit of competition means results will be easier to measure and performance levels increased. Just knowing someone else is watching us perform can help motivate us to achieve more. In strength training for example - if we can't quite make those last few reps, someone is there to encourage us to put the effort in or safely spot and assist in those moments where we're just not quite there yet. Increasing the intensity on our own is difficult to do and something we rarely do single-handedly and therefore, to make these improvements two will definitely be better than one. Ultimately though, having others present means a team mindset - each doesn't want to let the other down.

As we've seen from reading about how we deceive ourselves, it's easier to kid ourselves that we're doing the best we can, so having a second opinion to verify if that is in fact the case, will mutually help both parties achieve their goals.