A Total Body Workout You Can Do With a Friend

Everything’s better with a friend: a glass of wine, a road trip, and a cozy night in. One thing I really enjoy doing more if I have a pal there with me? Working out. Partner workouts are not only more fun with someone there to give you a good laugh when you feel like your muscles are about to fall off but they are also a great way to stay connected with those you love even when ‘me time’ becomes scarce. While I love meeting friends at the gym, there’s a lot you can do outdoors. Outdoor workouts will give you the benefits of a fantastic full-body workout and some fresh air. I’ve put together a total body workout that will get your muscles working and (hopefully) help reduce stress this holiday season. All you need to do is grab a buddy and head outside to get moving!

Push-Ups: 10 Reps

I love starting out any workout with push-ups—especially if I am training with someone I haven’t trained with before. Push-ups are a great test to assess people’s current physical abilities. After watching someone execute a pushup, I will know a lot about what I may need to modify to ensure my friend or client gets the best workout for them. There are endless modifications you can make to a pushup to make it easier or more difficult! Push-ups are also a total results producer because they recruit so many muscles from your shoulders, arms, core and even glutes all while increasing your heart rate.

V-Ups: 20 Reps

When working out with a partner, I love to focus on the core because 1.) a tighter midsection is something just about everyone wants to work on and 2.) there are so many core exercises you can do with a partner! V-ups are my favorite way to get started with core work since there are many modifications. Here we are using our hands to help stabilize us, but you can also lay hands just under your lower back to increase the intensity. Or, keep your whole torso on the ground to decrease the intensity by turning it into more of a leg raise than a full v-up.

Scissor Kicks: 40 Reps

Leg movements will recruit muscles from the lower abs. Here you can do scissor kicks with your torso flat on the ground or at a 45-degree angle. Having your torso raised will recruit more muscles and will be more difficult. With this one, always remember to keep your spine aligned—no lower-back arching here!

Go through each exercise for 4 rounds making modifications as needed. Push your friend and yourself to go as hard as you safely can!