Get Fitter Faster: 7 Top Training Partners

I’ve had some incredible training partners over the years...

This wasn't a training session...

My first proper training partner was an aussie guy named Luke. We were best buds and at least five times a week we’d pitch up at the gym and lift heavy weights. We were good too! Invariably three out of five sessions a week involved bench press and I’m still suffering from the injuries, but we worked hard and were consistent.

Held together by tape...

Luke went home and I ended up training with kiwi named Corry. He was a battle hardened old man who liked terrible music. Again, we’d train hard and consistently. Agreeing to meet with Corry three or four times a week and documenting the weights we lifted every session meant I could see clear progress. 

She's the girl...

Having ruptured my PCL playing rugby I needed to change tac a little and fortunately I ended up training with my friend Ellen. She was a PT (and now a very good sports therapist) she taught me new and varied ways to train (...and fix myself!) and is the reason I ended up becoming a PT.

TR isn't the handsome bald kid...

After this I got myself a posh gym membership and started training with TR. A bit younger than me, but with a love for lifting heavy stuff, my training plans were a little more refined and balanced by this stage. I became stronger than ever before (not necessarily more muscular) and I still train with TR nowadays.

Always a great inspiration

Since then I’ve been lucky enough to train with my friend Nikki. A very positive and skillful personal trainer. Nikki was happy to put down the weights on occasion step outside the gym and run - sometimes it was hill sprints other times it was long slow endurance - depending on what we were training for. She was and still is a huge inspiration to me.

The crazy american

For a short while I trained with a crazy american chick named Kim. At the time we were both training for an ultra distance running race. She taught me how to channel my thoughts and by her example taught me that the human body is capable of way more than you could ever think.

This is what he wears in the gym...

In more recent years I’ve been fortunate enough to work and train alongside Fil. Whilst my training in recent years has been varied (mostly outside of the gym) I appreciate his insight and enjoy the support and motivation of someone who in a slightly different sport. 

My point is this, doing it alone is foolish. I am self motivated, but have improved and developed by training with other like-minded people. Research suggests training alongside others will increase the likelihood of you getting results. Better still, training alongside people who know what they’re doing increasing it further. 

Did you notice the people I’ve chosen to train alongside are skillful and driven? 

If you can’t find the right training partner you could always employ a personal trainer. Just saying.

www.stevekeywood.co.uk