Training with my partner not working so well

[Arlene Dukes]

I have heard from friends that having a gym buddy will definitely push you for a better workout. Hence, I asked my boyfriend if he can be my gym buddy for the rest of the year. He agreed and started working out with me. However, instead of using this avenue to bond, the opposite happened. We kept on fighting in the gym. Some reasons include arguing over the number of repetitions in the exercise, fighting which diet to use, and many more. It feels like being gym buddies is slowly ruining our relationship. Any advice?

[IlPrincipeBrutto]

Any advice?

You probably have to stop doing what you are doing.
And that would mean either coming to an enforceable agreement about what you two are supposed to do (spot the other during a rep) and not do (change the program), or just decide to call it quits.
No shame in admitting it didn't work out, a relationship can grow and improve out of negative experiences like this one.
All my best wishes for your future together.

IPB

[bgl500]

My wife and I have given the training together thing a try in the past and it doesn't work. We tend to get quite pissy with one another while in the gym so both agreed it's probably not the best thing to do. Works for some, doesn't work for others so consider finding a new training partner. Cheers.

[Adam Levine]

Basic relationship 101 - don't try to control each other.

The diet you have and the reps you do is fine for you and vice-versa. If you can't agree to that, somebody has control issues. Your workout, your diet, and your partner is there to support your choices.

-->Adam

[Mark Rippetoe]

SEARCH FUNCTION. This is perhaps the most common observation on this board, after the fact that PRs must be set, you have to squat, and you have to warm up correctly.

[Fulcrum]

More often than not, no, it doesn't work.

As a member of a big corporate gym, I'm often surprised by the intensity of the arguments and bickering (in public) when it comes to a couple working out.

A few BB type couples seem to pull it off, but they are mostly doing machines and fluff work.

[Nicholas Soleyn]

There definitely has to be a mutual understanding of boundaries for each of you. Years ago, I attempted to coach my wife (at her request) during our training sessions together. The only highlight of that experience was that she was once so pissed at me--I thought I was "cueing" her and she thought otherwise--that she pulled a PR set of 5 deadlifts for what was going to be a PR set of 3.

Nowadays, we train together, spoting each other, offering helpful advice (mostly when asked for) and it's pleasant. But we both know what sets the other one off and avoid those things....unless we need some extra anger for a hard set

[Brent Carter]

Ha!

Mine was powercleans. That almost ended our relationship...

[FatButWeak]

Yeah. This really doesnt work. Im not sure why. My wife and I work well together on just about everything else. But not training.

[Niki Sims]

The Boyfriend Problem