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Training with a friend can be fun and motivational, but it also has some added benefits for your body that you won’t find when you work out or perform some exercises on your own.
Studies have shown that there is strength in numbers with 64 percent of people agreeing that they exercise more often, push themselves harder and train for longer when they do it alongside a friend.
Scheduling a gym session with a friend also helps you stay more accountable and motivated to stick to your routine - it’s a lot harder to make excuses about why you’re too tired or busy to exercise when you have to say them out loud to someone else!
Training with a workout buddy can even activate your competitive streak, pushing you to lift heavier, run faster or squeeze in an extra rep. The by-product of trying to keep up with the person next to you? Maximum results!
Give our top 5 partner exercises a go today and start challenging your body, your mindset, your fitness and, of course, your training partner!
Step 1: Facing your partner, both of you will move into a high plank position (on your toes and hands)
Step 2: You will both complete a push up (drop to your knees if you need to), bringing your chest to the ground and pushing back up at the same time
Step 3: When you reach the top of your push up, clap right hands together in a high five
Step 4: Complete another push up and at the top clap left hands together
Step 5: Keep repeating, with alternating high fives for 60 seconds
Partner benefit: When you raise your hand off the ground at the top of the push you will be engaging your core muscles and all supporting muscles to hold your position while you high five.
Step 1: Each of you will hold an end of the resistance band with both hands
Step 2: Stand next to each other (shoulder to shoulder) facing the same way and slowly separate until there is resistance in the band between you
Step 3: With your feet shoulder width apart, your hands out in front of your body and your hips facing forward throughout, engage your core as you twist away from your partner to increase the tension in the resistance band
Step 4: Controlling the band, twist back around to your starting position to complete one repetition
Step 5: Keep repeating for 60 seconds, then change positions with your partner and complete again (this time twisting in the other direction)
Partner benefit: Your core muscles will remain engaged during both directions of the twist movement due to the resistance given by your partner.
Step 1: Stand back to back with your partner and both of you will drop into a low squat position so your quads are parallel to the ground
Step 2: Holding your squat positions and with the medicine ball at chest height, rotate your upper body to the left to pass the ball to your partner – your partner will be receiving the ball from their right side.
Step 3: Your partner will then pass the ball across their body to their left side to pass it around to you – you will receive the ball from your right side.
Step 4: Keep repeating for 60 seconds
Partner benefit: Being back to back with your partner will encourage you to remain in your low squat position for the full 60 seconds, really working the legs. Your core will also remain engaged throughout as you rotate through full range of motion at the waist.
Step 1: Your partner will set up in a plank position on their elbows and toes, keeping a straight line through their body with their core engaged
Step 2: You will stand to the right of your partner’s feet. You will squat down low and as you push up out of your squat, travel through the air over your partner’s ankles and land in a low squat to the left of their feet
Step 3: Squat low again and this time travel through the air to the right of your partner’s feet, back to your starting position
Step 4: Keep repeating for 60 seconds, then change positions with your partner and complete again
Partner benefit: You will be more determined to hold your plank position for the full 60 seconds as your partner is jumping over your lower legs. Likewise, when squat jumping you will be trying your best to complete full range squats to clear your partner’s legs and land safely!
Step 1: Stand facing your partner and each of you will hold an end of the resistance band (it will be in your right hand and your partner’s left hand)
Step 2: With your elbows at 90 degrees and hugged to the side of your body, take a step back until there is resistance in the band
Step 3: From there, bend forward slightly at the hip and at the same time as each other, extend your arms to increase the resistance in the band and push the band away from each other, squeezing through your triceps
Step 4: Slowly bend through the arm again, controlling the tension in the band
Step 5: Keep repeating for 60 seconds, then change arms and complete again
Partner benefit: You will be working against your partner’s resistance as well as your own, making the move a strong one to control, really working through the tricep muscle.
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