GET A TRAINING PARTNER

Training every day, or every week, is tough, but anything worth having is hard to earn. One way to help prop up your self discipline is with a training partner. A training partner, just like a workout partner, is a good idea for many reasons.

First, training partners serve to motivate each other. Even if you don’t train together every day, you should talk every day and check on each other’s progress. Secondly, having a partner automatically cuts your planning workload in half! Training the right way involves detail orientation, creativity and preparation. It’s nice (and effective) to spread that work around.

Next, having a training partner helps avoid “training inbreeding” so long as both of you are always on the lookout for new ideas and procedures. Training partners also make good coaches. Training by yourself can lead to the unknowing development of bad habits. A good partner will be paying attention while you are working, and will correct and supervise your technique or procedure until you get it right.

Having a training partner, probably most importantly, serves as an integrity check on your program. It’s much easier to lie to yourself than to your buddy.

Once you find your partner, do them the honor of never ever lying to them. If they are screwing something up, you need to correct them. If their ego is such that they cannot be corrected, they are not a training partner, they are just looking for your acceptance. If this is the case, part as friends and go find someone who is serious about learning.

If your ego is out of control, you will know it as soon as your partner asks you why you are being an asshole and not believing him about jerking your trigger. This is called a clue to fix yourself. If you just want someone to shoot with who will tell you how cool you look, go to an airsoft game and make friends there. Allow your training partner to keep your ego in check. Anything less is just wasting everyone’s time.

So, email that old buddy you have been to some classes with, get with your beat partner on night shift, or hit up your team mate, and find someone to exercise your fighting muscle with.

Stout Hearts