There is something really magical that happens when you team up with a friend or partner to tackle an intense workout. Not only are you in good company, enabling you to have some laughs along the way, but you also may be motivated to stick with the activity for longer (and perform better, too). Don’t just take our word for it, science agrees. One University of Aberdeen study revealed that working out with a partner can make you exercise more often. Those who recruited three friends or family members to assist them in their quest to lose weight had better weight loss results than those who had no buddy system to fall back on, according to a Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology study.
The best part about working out with someone else? The time flies.
“Working out with a partner is great because it brings an element of solidarity to the workout,” says Bree Koegel, a personal trainer who met her husband CJ — also a personal trainer and corrective exercise specialist — at a rock climbing gym. The pair often get their sweat on together, and say that their mutual love for fitness brings them closer together. “I love working out with my partner for some obvious reasons, like his determination, his support, his booty,” she says. “As well as some not-so-obvious reasons: I know we’re laying foundation for a strong relationship and a strong family by supporting each other in healthy ways.” Here, the couple offers up one of their favorite workout routines to do together.
The workout
Do: 4 rounds, 45 seconds for each exercise; 15 seconds rest in between.
Switch roles once before moving onto the next set; rest 60 seconds between each set.
Switch roles once before moving onto the next set; rest 60 seconds between each set.
Equipment: One set of medium weight dumbbells (10 to 15 pounds women, 20 to 25 pounds men), a bench or box.
Partner 1: Push-up
Start in a high plank. Keeping your elbows close to your rib cage and lower your body in a straight line toward the floor. Push through your palms back to start for one rep.
Start in a high plank. Keeping your elbows close to your rib cage and lower your body in a straight line toward the floor. Push through your palms back to start for one rep.
Partner 2: Bent over rows
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells at sides. Bend knees slightly and tilt forward at hips, back flat, arms straight, hands under shoulders. Bend elbows and lift dumbbells toward chest, keeping arms close to body. Return to start for one rep.
Did you know that Push-ups and Bent Over Rows can also be done with Kinesis Personal? An alternative for those who love design and sport, Kinesis Personal is the ideal solution for a complete workout aimed at improving the movements of everyday life. With Kinesis Personal it is possible to train the core stability, with the aim of making the abdominal corset, the centre of strength of our body, efficient and performing: a strong and stable core in fact allows the body to develop maximum strength in all the other muscle districts as well as to perform daily and sports movements in the most effective way possible.
Partner 1: Walking lunges
Start with your feet together. Step forward into a lunge (your knee shouldn’t extend past your toes) and lower slowly for 5 seconds. Push through your front heel to return to standing. This counts as one rep. Continue for 30 seconds; repeat on the opposite side.
Start with your feet together. Step forward into a lunge (your knee shouldn’t extend past your toes) and lower slowly for 5 seconds. Push through your front heel to return to standing. This counts as one rep. Continue for 30 seconds; repeat on the opposite side.
Partner 2: Squat thrusters
Stand with your legs just slightly wider than hip-distance apart, arms raised to shoulder height with elbows bent, dumbbells racked on the shoulders. Bend your knees, squatting down low, as if you were sitting in a chair, keeping weight on your heels. Press the dumbbells overhead as you straighten your knees to return to standing. Return to start for one rep.
Stand with your legs just slightly wider than hip-distance apart, arms raised to shoulder height with elbows bent, dumbbells racked on the shoulders. Bend your knees, squatting down low, as if you were sitting in a chair, keeping weight on your heels. Press the dumbbells overhead as you straighten your knees to return to standing. Return to start for one rep.
Partner 1: Arnold press
Start with feet at hip-width distance holding dumbbells at shoulder height in front of torso with palms facing the body. Simultaneously press the dumbbells overhead while externally rotating your wrists. At the top extended position, your palms should now be facing forward. Lower back to start for one rep.
Start with feet at hip-width distance holding dumbbells at shoulder height in front of torso with palms facing the body. Simultaneously press the dumbbells overhead while externally rotating your wrists. At the top extended position, your palms should now be facing forward. Lower back to start for one rep.
Partner 2: Plank shoulder taps
Start in a high plank position with shoulders over wrists. Keeping your hips level, tap your right hand to your left shoulder. Slowly lower back to start. Repeat on the opposite side for one rep. Continue, alternating sides.
Start in a high plank position with shoulders over wrists. Keeping your hips level, tap your right hand to your left shoulder. Slowly lower back to start. Repeat on the opposite side for one rep. Continue, alternating sides.
Partner 1: Alternating single leg plank walkouts (inchworms)
Start with feet together. Hinge at hips, walk hands out to high plank position keeping one leg lifted off of the ground. Return to start for one rep. Switch sides; repeat.
Start with feet together. Hinge at hips, walk hands out to high plank position keeping one leg lifted off of the ground. Return to start for one rep. Switch sides; repeat.
Partner 2: Alternating single leg bench sits
Stand in front of the bench with your feet together. Holding your arms straight out in front of your body (or wherever makes you comfortable), raise your right leg off the floor. Push your hips back and lower your body until your glutes tap the bench. Pause, then push your body back to the starting position. Repeat on the opposite side.
