Make a Plan “A” and a Plan “B”... and a Plan “C”

 

Sometimes life doesn’t run smoothly and things come up. But you can’t throw in the towel as soon as the first hiccup or bit of adversity appears.

The same goes for keeping your exercise and nutrition on track.

 

I frequently hear “I’m away with work for a few days so can’t train.” Or “We ate out so my food went to pot.”

But why? Sure, these scenarios are from ideal but they shouldn’t be enough to go completely off-piste. You need a plan “A”, a “B” and a “C”.

 

TRAINING

Plan A – Go to the gym and do your regular hour long session after work                 

You have a meeting after work...

Plan B – You get up at 6am and do a session before work

You live to far from the gym or you’re involved in the morning school and wake up routine

Plan C – You go for a run at work during your lunch break or you run when you get home or do a bodyweight workout once you’re home

 

EATING:

Plan A – You prep your food the night before

You were out late and didn’t have time

Plan B – You get up 30 mins early and cook your food in the morning

You’re staying away for the evening

Plan C – You eat out and make a conscious effort to eat well. You amend your orders to remove parts such as chips in exchange for additional vegetables

 

SNACKING:

Plan A – You prepare all of your snacks for the next day at home

You weren’t staying at home

Plan B – You have protein bars in your car or stored in your desk

You’ve run out of protein bars

Plan C – You visit a proper supermarket (not a corner shop) and purchase real, fresh food on your way to work

 

As you can see: Plan A is the ideal and probably most convenient. Plan C is often inconvenient and may require some hard work or self control but... being healthy often does require these things.

 

If it was easy there would be no obesity and only washboard abs all over the place.

Remember to follow me on www.Twitter.com/MichaelD_PT

Staying Active and Healthy on Holiday

WAIT, WAIT! Don't move on just yet!!

 

I'm not about to tell you to live a fully healthy and exercise filled life while on holiday.

But... there are a few groups of people out there (me included) that might wish to just keep things ticking on holiday and also limit the damage to their hard work which has been taking place leading up to the holiday.

 

People that actually enjoy exercise (yes, they/we exist), people that are a long way from their goal and want to avoid as many backwards steps as possible, people that don't want to "start over" when they get home (remember the pain of last time) or people that simply enjoy feeling healthy and active - read on.

 

TAKING STUFF WITH YOU:

If you want to travel light but take the odd piece of equipment with you while you're away and without a gym then there are a few great options.

 

TRX: While it may seem costly, the TRX (or similar suspension training equipment) are extremely versatile. They allow you to work the entire body and have progressions/regressions for most exercises meaning that everyone from an experienced exerciser to a gym-novice can challenge themselves. There are also a number of great apps with free TRX workouts on them so, if you're unsure what to do, you can have someone walk you through a workout step-by-step. They're also lightweight to pack and don't use up much valuable luggage space. A few quirky ideas here if you want to try some tougher exercises: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNtzl7ui-c4 

or 15 other exercises here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-z6X4ifYiA 

 

GLIDERS: There are a few options available to you, personally I pack the purple disks below as most places on holiday will have a tiled floor for these to work on. These particular disks aren't that cheap so an alternative is to use two small hand towels/flannels. The majority of the exercises that you can do with these are core based exercises but they're easy to pack and offer you some challenging workouts that you can even do in your room.

if you want cheap disks that can be used on carpet and astroturf, I tend to use furniture moving disks from Amazon. Very cheap and do exactly the same thing. If you're on holiday and forget your disks you can even use an upside down Frisbee - no excuses now!

 

RESISTANCE BANDS: These take up a little more space and are a little heavier BUT... offer you a chance to do standard resistance work on the move. Again, they are really versatile and can offer you a different workout with improved time under tension if used correctly.

(cheesy) Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7M2nwbh2Cg

USE YOURSELF:

Alternatively, body weight workouts can be highly effective and challenging too. Plus, it's probably something a little different to your normal exercise regime so it might be a refreshing change for a couple of weeks while you're away.

There's loads you can do and plenty of people on YouTube have pieced together workouts for you to follow too. Check this one for a few bodyweight ideas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R819KfRrRe0 

Or, if there's a kids park nearby you have even MORE exercise options available to you. Like this park workout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=td4tRul_u5w

STAY ACTIVE:

Whether you decide to have structured "workouts" on holiday or not, it's important to try and stay active on holiday. Walk, swim, climb, play, crawl and play. Rest is important but stopping your body from moving freely as it should is an absolute no-no.

QUICKFIRE GYM CIRCUITS:

If you're on holiday it's usually hot (you'd hope) - which might be bad for exercising. However, the gym hotel is usually empty - which is good for exercising. Why not make the most of this rarity and put together quick gym circuits? You can blitz through a number of exercises quickly and have the rest of your day to relax and enjoy your holiday.

Be creative: recently on holiday I set a timer up for 30 secs work, 15 secs rest. I had a spin bike, my body and a single dumbbell that was about 10kg. During the working 30 seconds I simply alternated between the spin bike and a bodyweight or dumbbell exercise. I soon worked up a sweat and covered all major muscle groups and movements in 20 minutes or so. Then a recovery swim in the sea - beautiful start to the day!

THE FOOD STUFF:

Remember: "you can't out train a bad diet". So while cake and pudding might seem tempting at breakfast, lunch and dinner, aim for a MINIMUM of 50/50 as a good/bad food ratio. Be aware of what you're consuming. Try to avoid unnecessary sugars and aim for the high protein options at all times.

 

Also: remember to drink plenty of water. Not JUST when you're dehydrated by sip it throughout the day and remain hydrated; especially with the increase in temperature and alcohol levels that you might be consuming.

 

REMEMEBER... YOU'RE ON HOLIDAY!!!

 

Don't let health and fitness ruin your fun. But likewise... don't let your fun ruin your health and fitness!

 

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter (@MichaelD_PT) and YouTube

Don't Believe The Hype

You don't need to look far to see offers of a drink that will be your solution to muscle gains, a tablet for weight loss, a non-evasive surgical procedure for visible abs, a 2 minute workout for the body you've always wanted and much more.




Some are better disguised than others and some simply try to bamboozle you with words that make you think "Yeah - I need that in my life!" I mean just watch this Garnier advert for an example of these promises...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te3aXFKErXs






Apparently it's the "L-Bifidus" that means I only need to moisturise once a week?... Have I missed something!?...




At times it can be hard to decifer what's hard science, "bro-science" or marketing fluff.




Here's a few things to look out for:




DON'T fall for short term promises
Ultimately, there's a reason you have "gym regulars". Health and being in good condition comes from regular and consistent exercise with a balanced diet the majority of the time. If you could do things for just a short time and have them mastered then there wouldn't be full time athletes. They'd practice once a week and keep a regular job in all of their free time. People dedicate themselves to a sport just like individuals will dedicate years to building and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The guy on the front of the "12 week body" didn't get his physique in 12 weeks... well, if he did, he probably wasn't in bad nick to start with.


Remember your starting point
"The enourmous lady in the advert lost 5 stone in 5 weeks... I'd like to lose 5 stone in 5 week" you say. Consider your current activity level vs their current activity level. The likelihood is if she's buying home workout programmes then she's not a gym member and we can assume therefor, in the majority of cases, she doesn't exercise regularly. So, to take something like the "Insanity" workout and train 6 days a week from doing nothing originally, of COURSE she's going to lose weight! This doesn't mean everyone can expect the same results. The big lady in the add probably would have lost weight if she took her dog for two brisk walks a day; it doesn't mean we can start selling dogs as a weight loss solution.




If your diet has an end date then it's useless
Ultimately you're always "on a diet". It might not be a good diet, but it's your diet. The solution to managing your weight and forming a desirable physique and maintaining the required energy levels is to form a sustainable diet. Dieting for a holiday in four weeks might require some last minute tweaking; but expecting to crash diet for just 4 weeks to undo 40 something weeks of punishing your body!?.. You don't have the balance right there I'm afraid.




If a workout guarantees results - avoid it
There are so many variables that impact results including rest, current activity levels and diet. To offer guaranteed results is impossible. Worse still, if they put a number to it such as "7lbs in the first week" just run for the hills. This is not to say you won't benefit from it at all - just be wary "promises" aren't always promises.




There is no "BEST"
If someone is selling you "the best" (not "one of the best") then they're lying! There is no best! That goes for exercises and diets alike. Different things will work for different individuals. This is why it can be short sighted to buy a product from an online or television advert and expect life changing results every time.




Short and sharp...but not THAT short!
As peoples lives become busier and people become lazier, many people are looking for the next best/shortest thing. While short, sharp intervals are great for burning body fat and improving your metabolic rate, be wary of anything that suggests you do "just 5 minutes a day" or similar. Best solution? Make time and stop being so lazy!




"Look I'm hardly even breaking a sweat but still getting a really great workout"
If the people on the TV sales channel aren't really sweating, they're smiling and chatting non-stop about pointless things then it's not a good workout. You don't have to be in pain to workout but you do need see a distinct difference between "workout mode" and "day-to-day" mode. Somewhere along the line you're going to need to work hard!




Don't believe the hype... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vQaVIoEjOM




Don't forget to follow me on www.twitter.com/MichaelD_PT www.twitter.com/MichaelD_PT and www.youtube.com/user/bigmikept

Retro Bodybuilding Myths

As we get more and more information thrust upon us each day, it's easy to understand why some people take on bad advice and include it in their training.

However, there are some old fashion, retro "body builder" tips that, for no great reason, have hung around and still show their ugly face in many gyms across the world. "BroScience" to many of you is more apparent than ever.

Just because a big lad at the gym gave you a tip, don't take it as gospel. here's a few to look out for.

Bench Press with your feet in the air to isolate the chest...
There are some people that like to perform chest press with their feet on the bench, or worse still, feet in the air. The idea being that it "isolates the chest". Remember, just because something is harder, doesn't make it better. Performing squats balanced on a swiss ball is tough but not the best way of working your legs.
Ultimately, if you want to improve your chest and your pressing ability you want to be stimulating growth and adaptation. The best way to do that is through some form of overload via increased weight or repetitions or time under tension; if you want to do that then you're best to keep your feet planted firmly on the floor. You're not a balancing act after all.

Heavier squats are more important than deeper squats...
You'll see many people looking to squat the heaviest weight they can waddle out of a squat rack at the cost of sacrificing squat depth and at times, much squat form all together. In order to recruit the highest amount of muscle fires and stimulate growth from a squat depth is key. Work on proper depth under proper control and maintaining good form throughout - the weight increases will soon follow.

Always wear a weights belt for the heavier sets...
Many people still opt for a weights belt as they reach their upper limit for lifting weights. They looked shocked at you when you ask why their using a belt as if you wouldn't imagine lifting a heavy weight without a belt. Personally, I wouldn't ever advise a non-competitive lifter to use a belt. Instead, focus on strengthening all areas of your body equally to take the load and strains placed on it. Relying on a training assistance of any kind is never a good idea.

Walk for extended periods for fat loss...
Long bouts of steady-state cardio (usually treadmill walking) has been a staple exercise for body builders looking to shift body fay and retain muscle for many years. However, what many people ignore is the benefits of sprint work in reducing body fat and improving sporting performance. Sprint work is tough, but short bouts of interval sprint work are an incredibly effective way to shift body fat and boost your metabolic rate. It's a much more time-effective and less tedious option in my opinion. If like me, you're not a huge running fan, intervals of rowing, cycling and even crawling might be a viable option.

Wear a sweat suit to burn more fat...
Sweat suits like you sometimes see a boxer in are designed for one purpose only: to reduce your immediate weight. Not your body fat, just your weight. All that it may do is increase the rate at which you lose water. If you're under pressure to reach a specific weight in time for a pre-fight weigh-in then sure, a sweat suit might be a viable (though not ideal) option. Otherwise, be warned that any fast loss in weight is merely water weight that will return once you take on water again. Rather than a positive, in fact these suits are likely to have a negative impact on your training and results. A loss in water will cause dehydration. Dehydration will reduce your performance and rate you can work at and so, reduce your potential effort so burn less calories and lift less weight. It will also hamper your bodily functions which are heavily reliant on water.

Arms days are essential...
Don't be lured into thinking that you need to put aside an hour a week just to build your arms. Most of you will have other time constraints such as work, family and friends; so why not spend your valuable gym time a little more effectively? Sure, the odd bit of isolation work will target your arms specifically, but consider the benefit of fully body, multi-joint compound exercises like squats and deadlifts if you're looking to improve strength and general body composition. If your under-sized biceps are keeping you awake at night then opt for lots of narrow grip pulling work when working your back. This will not only target your back but also require a lot of forearm and bicep effort. Bigger back and better arms in one go.

More cardio to reduce body fat and get fitter...
It's often the view that if you want to "get fit" then running is the first option. Or, if you need to lose weight, it's cardio again. "Cardio" training is designed to improve the strength and capabilities of your heart and lungs by elevating the heart rate. This can be achieved in many more ways than just running. Heavy lifting or high intensity resistance work are all viable options. Just because you need to reduce your body fat, don't instantly opt for the treadmill. Build lean muscle and improve your everyday metabolic rate while also burning calories in the gym through high intensity resistance work. This is much more likely to avoid you spending a long time in a catabolic state (muscle wastage) and so, will help to retain the muscle mass you've worked hard to gain. if you want some ides for high intensity interval workouts I've written up plenty here: http://www.michaeldarren.blogspot.co.uk/p/workouts-that-ive-enjoyed.html

Carbs in the evening will make you fat...
Ever heard "no carbs after 8pm"? This can work... but usually as it stops people from eating anything after 8 and so, reducing their calorie count every day. Where they might usually opt for late night eating, if you cut that out of your life then yeah, you probably will make a difference. However, it's not that carbohydrates that were the villain in this whole lifestyle adjustment.

Conclusion...
Most of these ideas and tips will have an element of truth or, at one stage, were a current and up to date method of training. However, they're now out-dated and sports science has allowed us to find more beneficial and effective way to stimulate adaptation in the body. Don't be surprised when you still see the above happening in a  gym... just don't join them!

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter - @MichaelD_PT and subscribe to my YouTube channel

Failing to prepare...

When it comes to exercise and living a healthy lifestyle planning and preparation is absolutely key. Leave things to chance and the odds are you won’t achieve what you’d hoped for.

The phrase “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” Is an oldy but a goody. Here’s what you need to consider...

Meals...
This is probably the most common downfall with most people’s regime. “Picking up something when you’re out” is the number one NO-NO! There are minimal fast food/convenience food options with a high nutritional value. Plan ahead, cook ahead and prepare ahead. If time is an issue, cook on mass and keep food frozen or stored and ready for the week ahead.

Training...
Before every training session it’s essential to know what you have planned in terms of exercises, repetitions, tempo and rest. More crucially perhaps, it’s important to know how this fits into the bigger picture. Where do you want to be in 6 months time? In order to do that, how will you structure your program for each day, week and month in order to make progress in the direction you want.

Rest...
People are often surprised at how important quality rest is. Do you sleep 8 hours EVERY night? Uninterrupted quality sleep? In a dark, tranquil environment? Unlikely the answer to all of those is “yes”. Simple but crucial for recovery, repair and lowering cortisol levels.

Social Engagements...
So you don’t want to live in the gym and that’s fine. But, prioritising your training over social engagements or at least making time for training is essential to get results. There is always going to be a reason NOT to train: social engagements, family commitments etc but taking these options will inevitably limit results

End goals...
Plan from your end goals backwards. Decide what you want to achieve and then plan your meals and training to the finest details to get you there. Set yourself goals along the way, whether it’s specific strength targets, weight loss milestones or drops in body fat percentage, don’t get to your end date and realise "it didn’t happen". Leave nothing to chance.

So the message...
Don’t leave anything to chance. Plan all details and track progress at regular intervals in order to make sure that you’re on track for success.

"What's the point of personal training?.."

I often explain to people that having a job such as a personal trainer can be difficult. You don't have any tangible products as such to sell; instead your offering a concept, your time and a new way of life.

The customer pays their hard earned money and doesn't receive a nice piece of clothing or electrical goods; more often than not after that first transaction, they get nothing!

Once that barrier is crossed, there are still some people who aren't quite sure what it's all about.

So...

"What's the point of personal training?.."

Well, there's no one-size-fits-all answer; just like the training, it's personal. Here are just a few of the things that working with a personal trainer can offer:

KNOWLEDGE...
Despite what you may think from visiting some of your gyms, you can't just be a personal trainer without some study. Sure, some trainers are better than others, and some are very average to say the least. But they have one thing in common - knowledge.

I'm forever telling people that when I first joined a gym, I probably wasted 2 years of training incorrectly. I did a bit of this, some of that, some of what I read somewhere, some of what my friends were doing and tried to copy big guys in the gym.

You wouldn't buy a car and "just figure it out" without having lessons. So why join a gym with no experience and go it alone?..

If you can find a well educated and knowledgeable PT, train with them for a little while, take notes, get a program out of it and release yourself into the world of fitness with a bag full of knowledge. Don't be afraid to have tastes and ask questions to get a feel for their knowledge.

BUILDING GOOD HABITS...
When you've always done something one way, it's very difficult to correct or amend this. They say, "to form a habit you have to do it the same way 21 times consecutively". Imagine you've done something incorrectly for years, the issue is probably much bigger!

It's hard to put into words the importance of good technique in the gym. Good technique reduces the risk of injury, offers greater benefit from the exercise, will allow you to progress and lift more in the long term, isolates muscles and doesn't allow for compensation from other muscle groups. In short, with the correct technique you'll improve faster an won't hurt yourself at the same time. Training alone or with friends often leads to less focus on tidy technique and instead emphasis on lifting larger weights. A personal trainer can get you on track, improve your technique and offer you timeless pointers to use in the future and set you on the right path for a successful gym career.

These guys could really do with a technique check or two:
- Home gym amusing video
- Deadlift fails and funnies

MAKING THINGS REGIMENTED...
Some people work best to a timetable. They aim for three gym visits a week, then someone asks them out for a drink one night after work, one day they work late and one day their too tired to go. As a result, they're lucky if they get one visit a week to the gym. For these people PT can be ideal. Making appointments which they need to stick to, with, or without enthusiasm. It's a great way to add structure to your week and make sure you get the exercise you need and want.

Some people will even go further than this and say things to their trainers such as "I need an ass kicking". They have an old school idea of PT's shouting at them in a militant fashion and the think that's the kick they need in order to make them work hard. If that's what you want and need, most trainers will be happy to help. But don't worry, that's not the way most personal training sessions work!

MOTIVATION OR FEAR OF FAILURE...
There are certain mind sets which, without anyone watching, will cut corners. We've probably all done it at some point. If this happens in the gym, you do 10 repetitions when you'd set out to do 12. Ten minutes into your 15 minute run you decide "that's probably enough", or when you look at the biscuit jar you think "one or two can't hurt - I've earned them!" Then PT can really help you.

Knowing that you're going to be measuring your success by gains or losses and will be re-tested/measured/weighed on a regular basis can be a great deterrent from cutting corners. More often than not we know the difference between right and wrong, good and bad, it just helps if someone points it out every once in a while.

VARIETY...
The gym can be a boring place. But it really doesn't have to be! Doing the same thing over and over is not only boring, but it's also ineffective. The body adapts to demands over time and if you keep up the same gym program, exercises, weights, tempo etc, your body will figure this out, no longer be tested or shocked and no longer forced to evolve.

There can be ENDLESS exercises and variations on exercises that can be performed to help avoid boredom and maintain progression. But, if you don't know them or don't know which ones work best then you need to ask.

Make sure when you approach a PT, you let them know from day one exactly what it is you want to get out of it (they should ask to be fair). If it's some more variety and new moves you need then tell them what you do and what you're looking to gain - why not book a taster and see just how much they know?..

A TRAINING BOOST...
So you've been training on your own for "X" number of years and you've done well; shed some weight and built some muscle, but it all seems to have slowed down a little.

Progression isn't coming as fast as it did and your body doesn't seem to be changing. Working with a personal trainer with new ideas, moves, structure to sessions and weekly workout can really shock your system and offer a great boost to your usual regime.

"PERSONAL" TRAINING...
Personal training is exactly that - "personal". If you train with someone, or you've been taken under the arm of your more experienced gym buddy then the likelihood is, you do the exercises just because that's what they do and advise you to do.

Personal training should be specialised to everyone dependent on their current level of activity, previous history and knowledge, capabilities and end goals. Your training might be getting you somewhere, but is it exactly where you want to be heading, do you struggle with specific areas of your body, knowledge of how to improve certain aspects, organise your workout schedule and what and when to eat? A good PT can advise you through all of this and even offer information on how to adjust and improve your other sessions during the week.

SO... 
In short, there's a heap of reasons why personal training can work for you. Whether you're taking your first steps into a gym, you've trained for 20 years in a gym, or you're a competitive athlete, that individual attention and "personal" approach can be applied to you in order for you to increase the benefits of your training and keep you motivated.

Perhaps ask yourself: Are you 100% confident that your training schedule, exercises, techniques and intensity mean you're getting the most from your training?...

As I will continue to say, "No one knows everything" so why not bend the ear of one of a personal trainer, see what they have to offer and see if you think they could help you improve your training?
This isn't a sales pitch, it's just fact...

DON'T FORGET, YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON: www.twitter.com/MichaelD_PT

Training partner chemistry

Today I was speaking with a friend about a mutual friend of ours and he said,

"I don't want to train with him. I don't want to personal train someone for an hour when I'm trying to train."

Now, while this may sound a little cut-throat to some people, it's a fair point. It got me thinking about training partners, the chemistry between two training buddies, successful training relationships and the other side: arrangements which have a negative impact on training and results.

I see all combinations, two best friends training, large groups working together, solo-trainers or friends who became friends through the gym. However.. some are more successful than others.

Here's a few tips when picking your training partner:

Train with someone who brings something to the table...
Everyone has their first visits to a gym, and we're all constantly learning. No one knows EVERYTHING about working out, but the relationship needs to be a two-way street. It's one thing lending someone a hand, pointing them in the right direction, sorting out their program etc, but it soon wears thin when you need to spoon feed every part of the session.

Find someone that has prior knowledge or a different sporting background to yours but similar goals. For instance, as a rugby player I enjoy gym training with other rugby players but also fighters, sprinters and other power related athletes. Take a break from your usual routine when it's offered. Learn about flexibility from someone, move to a more cardio-based session if someone offers to show you a few bits. Approach sessions with an open mind and be willing to learn.

Big groups don't always mean big results...
I see it LOADS.. big groups of guys and girls who go to the gym together. It probably started as a pair and someone invited someone and so it went on. Bad news.. these aren't great for the gym.
More likely than not, these will be the groups who spread their time between working and chit-chat. For large groups doing weights based exercises, it's going to be a pain adjusting weights to suit everyone; an even bigger pain waiting around for your second set and getting cold while the other 4 do theirs.

As for peak time training, good luck finding 5 treadmills together or enough dumbells and benches for you and your pals.

Last but by NO means least, it's pretty unlikely you're going to find a group of friends all with similar goals. Which leads me to my next point...

Train with people who have similar goals...
Sessions can become HUGELY unproductive if time is spent arguing over exercises, repetitions, order of session etc if partners have different objectives. It's ESSENTIAL to find someone who wants the same thing. True, there's more than one way to skin a cat, but if your goals are poles apart the session is going nowhere.

Working hard... or hardly working?
Make sure when you pick a training partner it isn't someone who is more intent on catching up with you, telling you about their day, their family, their life and every other detail that isn't going to benefit your gym session It's fine to train with a friend but keep the social time and gym time seperate. If your gym partner is a talker or is spending their time trying to look good in the gym and attract members of the opposite sex, then change them. Or, explain your situation and ask them to change themselves. You'll bot benefit from it as the intensity of your sessions will increase so don't be afraid of offending them - it's for their own good.

Get pushed...
A little competition in the gym is always healthy. While I always use the old saying "train your body, not your ego", competition from your friends can improve the intensity of a session. It may be difficult to find a partner of equal size and strength but you may compete in other ways. For instance, weights wise use a percentage of your body weight as the scale for strength. Can you both bench press 100% of your own body weight? What about chin-ups and dips?

With regards to cardio, why not race? Give the less fit person a head start then let them try to not get caught while the fitter person tries their hardest to make up lost ground. Think laterally and introduce competition for the sake of improvement, not for the purpose of an ego boost, embarrassing your friend of to show how big and clever you are.

Without this level of competition and someone pushing you on, it's easy to get complaisant that you are the bigger or stronger or fitter person and if this continues, progress in the gym will be seriously damaged.

Listen up and be open minded...
You may be bigger, faster, leaner, fitter than your training partner, but you don't know everything. If they have an idea, go with it. Variation is key! Likewise, you see something you like that someone in the gym is doing, don't be afraid to ask. We're always learning so if you can get a little something from another gym goer then soak up all you can. I know I said to train with people similar to you, but if the opportunity comes to train with someone new as a one-off session go for it. If you trained with a gymnast and a powerlifter on two separate occasions, you may hate it but if you can take away just one thing from each session then it's been productive. Learning what you don't like and what doesn't work for you is just as important.

One-man(or woman)mission...
To the solo trainers. These guys have it in their favour in terms of time spent in the gym. I myself am usually a solo trainer most of the time and like that I don't need to wait for friends to finish sets, explain an exercise or adjust weights for other people and I can be done with a session quicker than most partners.

However... there are some things you don't get training alone. No spotter for heavier sets, no "let's do one more set" on the day you're feeling tired or even more essential for some people, "we ARE going to the gym - don't be lazy" discussions.

Most significant in my mind, is that unless you consciously aim to do so, sessions will become formulaic and stagnant. Without variety, suggestions from a training partner, tweaking of exercises and new approaches, most people will plod through the same sessions week after week and seriously compromise results.

Don't forget, you can follow me on: http://twitter.com/MichaelD_PT