Two’s company, three’s a crowd and more’s a party.

How much better would your results be if everyday was a friendly competition?

In the training environment, this phrase couldn’t be any more accurate.

I’m sure we’re all aware that when we train with a partner, we push ourselves harder.

I personally hit more personal records when the crew are there to give me a little bum tap of encouragement.
And the same goes for all of our BBB members.

Those days where you don’t feel like training don’t last long once you’ve got the team starting to crack a few jokes and tell you how much of a “slop dog” you are. 

The question ‘Is it really a big deal if I skip this one workout?’, doesn’t even cross your mind once you know that you’re letting the team down. 

It doesn’t take a genius to realise that working out with a partner, especially in a team format can improve performance, but can also help boost motivation over a prolonged period of time.

You are the weakest link. Good-bye

When you’re performing with someone else, the intensity is always going to be greater than it is when you’re alone. Particularly when performing with someone you perceive to be a little better than you.

No one wants to be the weakest link. 

If you have seen the sessions we do when we train at BBB, and you’ve got 5 others racing you to hit AMRAP (as many reps as possible) in a certain time frame, there’s no way you’re putting that bar down or stopping for a rest where you’re tired.

You will dig yourself deeper into that hurt locker and stay there until that sweet sweet sound of the timer goes “beeeeeeeeeep”. 

Those days where you walk out of the gym because ‘3 sets of 10 curls, superset with some bench press are enough, right?’, don’t exist anymore.

They are replaced with ‘holy shit, I thought I was going to die back there for a second.’ Day in and day out! 

Not that we measure our performance by how much we sweat, lack oxygen or think we are going to die, the point is, we usually track performance based on objective numbers.

In order to improve numbers, you will need to increase work capacity and training volume. 2 things which are highly correlated with training in a team environment. 

But training on your own proves that you’re the real deal, doesn’t it?

Succumbing to a team environment shouldn’t make you feel like you’ve failed the motivation test. Most of the best athletes in the world still train with partners or in small groups. It does not make you any less of a person just because you don’t have the motivation to train on your own. It makes you less of a person if you choose to take no action and remain in the same position, week in and week out. 

Partnerships and positive team environment can be the key to success; whether it be lifting a PB or hitting an extra round in your next AMRAP (as many repetitions or rounds as possible).

If you feel like you’re leaving anything other than sweat and glory out on the rubber mats, then I think its time you found yourself a partner or a team to help you reach what you set out to do.