The more the merrier they say – want to make exercise more fun and engaging? Everything is better with a buddy – so grab a friend, and get started on these partner exercises!
Partner Leg Raise
Muscles Worked: Rectus abdominis, external obliques, internal obliques, hip flexors
- Lie down on your back, and grab your partner’s exercises as shown
- Keeping the legs straight, raise your legs towards your partners hands
- Your partner will catch your legs and push them back towards the floor – your job is to keep your feet from touching the floor
- To change the difficulty, you can ask your partner to push harder or lighter
- To mix it up and focus more on obliques, you can raise your legs towards one shoulder at an angle – make sure you alternate on both sides!
Contraindications: Lower back pain/issues
Partner High Five Pushup
Muscles Worked: Pectoralis major, pectoralis minor, serratus anterior, rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, obliques
- Starting off facing your partner, perform a coordinated pushup with your partner
- Once at the top, reach forward and “high five” your partners extended hand
- Repeat the exercise, this time using the opposite arm for the high five
Contraindications: History of shoulder pain, issues with rotator cuff or biceps tendon, lumbar lordosis
Partner Wheelbarrow Squat and Pushup
Muscles Worked: Partner 1: Pectoralis major, pectoralis minor, transverse abdominus Partner 2: Gluteus maximus, rectus femoris, hamstrings
- Start off in a wheelbarrow position as shown in the first image
- As you go down for your pushup, your partner will go down for their squat
- Come back into the starting position together
- Make sure you alternate positions so each partner gets a turn to squat or do pushups!
Contraindications: Lower back issues, shoulder pain, rotator cuff or biceps tendon issues, injuries to the knee or hip joints
Resistance Band Sprint
Muscles worked: Partner 1: Gluteus maximus, rectus femoris, gastrocnemius, soleus Partner 2: Trapezius, rectus femoris
- Putting the resistance band around your waist, have your partner resist and pull you back as you sprint forward
- Your partner can “sit down” and pull back slightly as you sprint, pulling with the legs and leaning back into the pull with their weight
- This exercise should be done in intervals of 30 seconds – switch with your partner after you had your turn!
Contraindications: Hip, knee, or ankle issues
Medicine Ball Slam
Muscles worked: latissimus dorsi, triceps, rectus femoris
- Stand facing your partner
- Taking a medicine ball, start with the ball above your head and slam it down on the ground so the ball bounces back towards your partner
- Your partner will catch the ball, slamming the ball overhead so that it bounces towards you again
- as you slam the ball, lower your body own into the movement as if you were sitting down
Contraindications: rotator cuff issues
Whats your favorite partner exercise? Let us know in the comments below!
Blog post written by James Hsin – Client Care Manager
James is currently going into his 4th year at kinesiology at UBC, and grew up a relatively active individual. He has been training primarily in Muay Thai for the past 4 years, training with champions and beginners alike. James is a firm believer that exercise should be like playing around – it’s better if its fun! James hopes he can share how his fitness journey has encouraged him to grow, and hopes to inspire you to do the same.
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