Success is a team sport

Powerlifter and human monster Dave Tate, owner of EliteFTS, had this to say about training partners: "You're going to be as weak as your weakest training partner...I always felt it was my responsibility and my duty to get the guy next to me stronger than I was. And all the guys who trained there felt the same. One person may have had better genetics or more mental strength, but it didn't fucking matter. What matters is that you're going to be as weak as your weakest training partner."

I recently had my best total in a year. 890-with a 170lb press, 315# back squat and a #405 DL at 185#! I give the credit to my consistent training and the constructive, yet at times venomous, motivation from my training partner Justin aka "Thor".

I already had in mind a number I was going for during my warm-up. But during my lifts, it was Thor's prodding that made me jump from 290# to 315#. He said, "Why not jump up. You've been doing the work to get there." So I did. Then instead of the pat on the back I was expecting, he followed up by saying, "It looked kinda easy. You could have done a little more. Too bad it's your last lift." Asshole-but he was right. I had limited myself because I was feeling sore from the day before so I set the bar lower for myself. But a good friend or training partner will get help you get out of your own way and push your limits in a way you may not even think is possible. It doesn't help that Leslie, his wife, is the same way too.

Our job as trainers is to motivate our clients to go beyond mediocrity. The gym is the one place that a person can go for constant motivation and leave with a sense of accomplishment. Especially during these dour economic times, we have an added responsibility to inspire our clients with a sense of success that they may not be receiving from work or at home due to stress. And helping someone get a PR may be generate a type of mental momentum they can carry outside the gym as well.

Speaking from personal experience, I know my athletic success is due in part to large degree of the consistent support, albeit sometimes motivational-ly demeaning at times, from the Crossfit members I train with. And I do my best to give it back as well. Great teams win by putting the goal above themselves. At Crossfit, even when competing against each other, we are pushing each other simultaneously. For us "teamwork is working together-even when apart".

Despite our constant verbal jabs which have become part of our training routine, Thor and I are close friends. It's hard for me to sandbag when he's lifting as hard as he can. See, successful people always surround themselves with other successful people. Whether in the gym or not, make sure the people in your circle are helping you to achieve. If not, they are slowing the team down. And you're going down with them.