A wise man once said that no man is an island, and other wise men believe that friendship is essential to the soul. These both apply when it comes to the gym. Putting in the work to change your body is good and all, but the journey is more fun with a friend. Even if you’re dedicated to being the lone wolf, you might find some overlooked value in forming a dynamic duo.

5. MAINTAINING TECHNIQUE

No matter how long you’ve been a lone wolf in the gym, you can’t watch yourself while you work out. Looking in the mirrors won’t cut it when it comes to maintaining your form and technique, especially considering most exercises recommend keeping your head and neck in a neutral position — you can pull a muscle in your neck trying to admire yourself; trust me. Having a workout partner can save you from unnecessary injuries and improve the quality of your workouts (better technique = better results). In exercises like bench press and squats, having a workout partner is practically a necessity. If you have the Planet Fitness Black Card membership you can bring a friend with you anytime you want.

4. FRIENDLY COMPETITION

Just as iron sharpens iron, one person can sharpen another. A little healthy competition can be great for keeping progress pushing ahead. Kylo Ren and Rey, Marvel and DC, Goku and Vegeta, Black Panther and Killmonger… all great examples of two sides pushing each other to work harder, get better, and push farther. Even in the gym, competition is possible. Have a race on the treadmills. Set goals for reps. Keep it friendly and it’ll be a great way to bond. Don’t be afraid to raise the stakes along the way. Loser has to buy lunch? Go for it! Just keep it fair — cheating in the gym only hurts yourself. If you notice that a significant gap in performance abilities consider investing in a Hyperwear Hyper Vest Elite. This weighted vest is designed to stay snug to the body and can add up to 20 pounds to your body — adding more intensity to many exercises.

3. ACCOUNTABILITY

Even if you have a mind of steel and a will of iron, we all have off days. Maybe your boss was trippin’, maybe your dog got sick, maybe you got played — life happens. Don’t let it stop you. Having a workout partner can help you stay focused because you know someone is depending on you. You two work together to build each other up, and when life happens having a workout partner can give you an escape, allowing you to step out of your world to build within theirs.

2. MOTIVATION

How many times have you watch a fighting movie — Rocky, Creed, Bloodsport, etc. — and the main character was ready to give up, only to get the motivation to push through from their training partner? Tons of ‘em, because having somebody to help you push through the tough times is a powerful piece of creating success. And if your partner is more like Peter Parker to your Tony Stark, knowing that you’re setting the example for your buddy might give you the strength for those last few reps.

1. FREE THERAPY

When life happens, your workout partner could be your best escape. Use this time to talk with them about what’s going on in your lives. Got conflict at work? Having issues with your guy or girl? Maybe you saw the latest psychological thriller starring Black people, and you’re dying to talk about the underlying messages, meanings and theories. This is one of the best benefits of a workout partner; you don’t have to interrupt your workout to have human interaction and you’re getting away from your phone for a while. Just be down to listen to them too — you’re their workout partner too.

If all of these reasons don’t show you how fun and beneficial having a workout partner can be, you might be a hater. There’s nothing wrong with working out solo, but the best things in life are shared.