Noob lifting partner

[presidentender]

So... I agreed to go lift with a guy from work. I explained to him that there are two ways we can work out: we can go at the same time and do our own thing, or he can take advantage of what I know and I can take advantage of what he knows and we can lift together.

So he says "let's lift together." I explain what a dick I am to noob lifting partners. He explains that he "knows how to lift."

This consists of:
Machines, just about exclusively.
One workout, for "all body parts," performed 5x weekly.

I don't know where to start. I can just drag him over to do squats and deadlifts and OH press, of course, but....

Any advice?

 

[apac]

Why are you a dick to noob lifting partners? Seems like you should be helping him, assuming he's open to suggestions.

 

[presidentender]

Originally posted by: apac
Why are you a dick to noob lifting partners? Seems like you should be helping him, assuming he's open to suggestions.

That's what I mean by "I'm a dick." I give suggestions. I refer people to books. My longest-term lifting partner was my roommate freshman year; he'd never worked out before, and had no idea what was going on, so he was very open to suggestions. He still works out and makes great progress. Guys I've lifted with who worked out in high school who "know what they're doing" invariably don't, and get frustrated when the others in the group add to their maxes faster.

 

[Mikey]

I have a cousin who I used to lift with. He was a noob lifting partner who also claims to "know how to lift, trust me." But, he was really stubborn and never heeded to my advice and eventually ended up straining some muscles in his body. If I don't have someone good to work out with, then I just prefer working out alone with my iPod.

 

[polarmystery]

The best workout partners are those that are willing to try new methods to their approach. That being said, anyone who uses just machines obviously has no clue what the hell they are doing.

 

[presidentender]

So as it turns out he's not bad at all to lift with. We're doing starting strength, essentially, and he's fine with that. He hadn't eaten enough today and so he almost passed out after deadlifts, but that shouldn't be a problem in the future.