Just get a part time trainer... Some have CPR cert some don't have, they charge a lot less than those commercial gyms... A few of my friends are doing it, actually 2 only haha, anyway they charge RM20&rm80/session...

IMO it's hard to find gym buddies online especially when you're picky.. cause I see most guys going either alone(dislike working out with people cause they get in the way) they usually just ask the gym staff or other gym users to spot them, and those that go with friends... It's easier to just make friends in the gym... At least you get to see how they train before you approach them, don't play phone/slack, not to hardcore(you may not be at his pace of weights)

Conclusion, I think close friends are better working together at gyms, they'll know HOW to push each other, and not just verbally do it, it can get annoying having a guy that either requires you to push all the time, or having a prick telling you to keep going even if you're at your max for your pace..

I don't work well with people at all hence i don't bother having gym buddies, sure when my friends ajak I would join, I personally just join their pace despite I having to die hard to catch up or getting bored... What I wrote is based on experience and advice from my friends... And my friends that talk to me about gym are the ones that usually go alone as well

i do admit i have an ego but not in the gym i actually pay my friend to train me, well he does do part time trainer service... He pushes me to continue because he knows its good for me rather than because he wants to end the exercise quick. That's the main difference with friends and trainers. And don't get me wrong, maybe i should've stated, I dont like having to push people because they can't get off their phones or they're being plain lazy.

Have you tried going to a gym with a friend that does 1 squat exercise, few curls, less than 30 minutes hes out, worse is if you guys car pooled... Well i had that incident, he dropped me home, i drop myself back to the gym and continued, it was a per entry gym but i just told the guys it was an emergency pooping situation The worse among the few bad experiences I had for bad gym mates.

I myself don't really know what a trainer is suppose to do cause the last official trainer i had is when i started, yes the thought me the moves and making sure i had correct technique. As i progressed, i did a few months myself then now on-off I pay my friend to train me, cause i feel bad if he pushes me so much and i can't catch up to his pace(He benches 30kg/side while i do 15 only) It's a pain having to alter weights so often...

In short, I think you also pay the trainer to push you to improve, at your max your form tends to be bad, he would ensure good form preventing injuries. You don't have to wait for your turn during an exercise cause it's all about you nor feel bad about resting too long. Oh yeah the trainer wouldn't give 2 shits on how you suffer cause you paid him to do so, no pain no gain, as long you have results and no injuries.

There are always other ways to "push" yourself physically when lifting IMO. Such as using a power rack for bench press, same range of motion, just that the bar wouldn't collapse on your chest... If not there's always dumb bell chest press you can always google for alternate exercises as well... I used to think like you, hence i went to seek advice from a lot of my friends and other professional trainers and not to forget uncle google .