I’ve gone back forth with this for years. Sometimes I enjoy a lifting buddy and sometimes I just want to get in there with my earbuds in, my head down and my game face on. If I do lift with someone, I think very highly of them. I’m very picky. I know they can either keep up with me, lift heavier than me or push me past my limits. I’ve had partners before that aren’t serious and I found that all they do is hold me back. If you are serious about that hour of your day, I think it’s totally okay to be selfish and tell someone no if you think you will do better alone. Since I’ve moved up to northern Ky, I’ve found my strength has improved tremendously, and my overall enjoyment of the gym has been found once again. This is all due to a few amazing gym buddies (one in particular who pushes me everyday to be better). I’ve been focusing on strength the past few months rather than gaining muscle or losing body fat (mainly bc those aren’t options for me at the moment). Wanting a strong body is what peaked my interest in the first place to start lifting weights, and somewhere down the line my goals changed for a season or two and now I’m back to what hooked me in the first place. Since I can remember I’ve always wanted to be the strongest girl I knew (don’t ask me why. I don’t know.). If I found someone was stronger, it just fueled me to push more. And those are the girls I wanted to be with in the gym. It’s amazing how much stronger you become when there’s a little competition involved 
. Another reason I prefer a partner is for safety. If I’m gonna try to push 135 lbs of free weight over my head, or 160 over my chest, I’m gonna be darn sure the the person I have spotting me is trustworthy in three ways. 1.) That if I’m in trouble my partner will save me from injury. 2.) That my partner WILL NOT touch me or my weight unless absolutely necessary. Nothing is worse than someone helping you when you don’t need help. I’m positive I yell “don’t touch me, don’t touch me” at least a few times a week. I’m not mad, just letting it be known I don’t need their help, even if I look to be struggling. 3.) Lastly, that your spotter will only give you enough help that you are still pushing up the most weight you possibly can. SORRY BOYS! This is why I pick female spotters, I know you aren’t all this way, but 9 out of 10 men I’ve ever asked to spot me, give me too much help, or help when I don’t need it. I know I’m a girl, and thats exactly why I’m gonna pick a weight that I know is possible or close to possible for me to lift. I’ve never seen a woman get stuck under the leg press, yet in the past 2 years I’ve seen three grown men with over a 1000 pounds stuck on top of them WITH their partner standing right there. But once that sled has fallen and you are stuck underneath looking like a big goob, your partner nor you can expect to get that weight reset without stripping the sled down of half the plates that are on it. HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?????? The gym is no place to be stupid people. Sorry I just got off on a small tangent. This literally just happened on monday.
Anyway…Just a few things to think about when choosing a partner.
