Examples:
- Getting back into the gym, my muscles have had to learn to balance again - especially with dumbbell exercises. Having a workout partner helps me maintain good form while my muscle memory kicks back in. Also helps me keep good form as I increase the weight I lift.
- Having a workout partner helps me push past where I can get to alone. Last weekend I was doing flat bench press - and JP was spotting me - and I was able to lift more weight because I had him there to help me.
- Having a workout partner helps me save face. Chest burns out fast, and I have had to yell for a spot when I burned out and couldn't rack the weight on my own. It's quite embarrassing...
- And finally, it helps me push myself beyond the point where I want to stop. Similar to being able to push more weight, but not the same. As an illustration - last night I was working quads. I started on V-Squat. I started light and worked my way up and then did drop sets - for a total of 2 warm up sets, 5 work sets and 7 drop sets (132 reps total). Then I went to the leg extension and, 10 reps at a time per leg, I worked my weight up and then finished out with drop sets - for a total of 2 warm up sets, 4 work sets and 6 drop sets (130 reps total per leg - 260 total combined). I finished out with barbell squats - which were my burn out work sets. Because I didn't have a workout partner at the gym last night, I asked someone to spot me because I needed to make sure I could stay upright (and not teeter over). As a result, I was able to complete my burn out sets and move beyond what I would have done by myself (left to my own devices, I would have stopped after leg extensions!). My muscles were done - my squads were shaking and my last rep was truly the last one I could do.
:)
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