Fitness for Two

They say if you want to go fast go alone, but if you want to go far go together. People tend to procrastinate less and work harder when they have someone they trust hold them accountable. Research has proven that your chances of achieving your goal is boosted by 95 per cent when you have an accountability partner. An inspiring accountability partner can keep you motivated when you lose sight of your goal, help you move past setbacks and cheer you on when you make strides towards your goal. So, link up with your fitness bestie, your favourite coworker, spouse or teammate and help each other succeed and accomplish your personal, professional and health and fitness goals.

TOWEL TRICEPS EXTENSIONS

15 reps / 3 sets
You and your partner will be getting a workout with this one! Build your grip, core, and triceps while performing the towel triceps extension. Utilizing quality exercise variations can help with breaking through strength plateaus and lead you towards the results you and your partner are looking for.

• Roll up a small towel and have your partner lay on their back. The individual performing the exercise will have their hands placed shoulder-width apart.
• The other person will place one hand on the towel to create the appropriate tension needed. The partner lying down will perform a triceps extension.
• The person applying the tension on the towel wants to ensure that their partner is getting a quality, fluid and full range of motion. Communication is key.
  Perform 15 reps, then switch positions.

Pro Tip: Communicate with each other on how much tension feels right. We want it to be challenging, but not so much so that we compromise our joints. Safety first

TOWEL BICEPS CURLS

15 reps / 3 sets
This bicep curl variation does more than just your train your biceps. This exercise will work your core and give your partner a little bit of a sweat. Stay strong with your grip, work together, and enjoy this challenging exercise.

• One partner will take a half-kneel position slightly off-centred, while the other stands tall in a strong, slightly bent knee position. While performing the biceps curl your hands will be placed hip- or shoulder-width apart, while the individual applying the tension will have the same single hand position in the middle of the towel as previously.
• The person standing should engage their core and begin to perform a biceps curl. Their training partner should apply the appropriate amount of tension so that the range of motion is challenging, yet fluid.
• Perform 15 reps then switch positions.

PARTNER DOUBLE-LEG SWINGS

15 reps / 3 sets
A strong core is royalty in any fitness program. Work with your training bestie on the partner-assisted double-leg swing and build a strong core that is extremely beneficial for improving your run game, your specific sport as well as building full-body strength.

• Have one partner lay on their back, placing their hands on the heels of the person standing, then raise both legs up and into
  the training partner’s hands.
• The training partner will push the feet downward in a safe and controlled manner and with just enough force so that your partner’s feet do not touch the ground.
• The individual performing the double-leg swing will raise their feet back up to the training partner’s hands and repeat for 15 reps.

Pro Tip: The person/trainer who is standing should confirm that the partner on the ground is ready for the force that will be applied.
Keep the lines of communication open and work as a team.

PUSH-UP AND PLANK COMBO

1 min. set for advanced; 45 sec. for intermediate; 30 sec. for beginners

As we know, the push-up and plank are great full-body strength training exercises. So, why not do both? Try this push-up and plank sequence to really challenge one another.

• Have one partner in the high-plank push-up position (from knees for a modification) with hands either underneath the shoulders or slightly outside of the shoulder joint.
• The other partner will be in a low-plank position (bear-crawl position is an option if you have a shoulder impingement) and holding the plank until the partner has completed as many push-ups as possible.
• Keep track of your reps and try and beat your score each time through.

Pro Tip: The hand position for the push-ups is important for the integrity of the exercise. Simple cues we use are ” hands tight elbows tight” for the hands under the shoulder position. If you opt for the hands outside the shoulder position, your upper arm should be at a 45-degree angle.

Photography by Saige Carlson

You may also like: Workouts

---