By: Callie Cady
Fitness Models: Lauren Gibler and Callie Cady
Photo Credit: Dominic Ceraldi
Happy #WorkoutWednesday! Grab your gym buddy and perform the following exercise:
1. Partner Planks: Elbow Plank on Bottom, Full Plank on Top
This exercise will work every single muscle in your body and is challenging for both participants. The bottom person MUST keep everything flexed in order to properly support the top person, and the person on top MUST keep everything flexed in order to stay balanced and keep from falling. Here’s how you do it:
Partner One (Bottom Person): Get into an elbow plank with your elbows directly under your shoulders (this should put your elbows at 90 degree angles). Be sure to keep your neck aligned with the rest of your spine and FLEX everything- especially your core and glutes.
Partner Two (Top Person): Place one hand in the middle of the bottom person’s shoulder blades and the other toward the bottom person’s lower back. Make sure your hands are directly below your shoulders and your neck is aligned with your spine. Now FLEX everything- especially your core and glutes.
*Perform this for 30-60 seconds, depending on your level of strength. Rest for 30 seconds, and then switch positions. This can be done at the end of a workout or in between sets of another exercise.
2. Partner Throw-Downs
Partner throw-downs work your rectus abdominus, which is the largest muscle in your abdominals, as well as your hip flexors, which are a collection of muscles located at the front of your hips. Here’s how you do them:
Lie on your back on a mat with your legs fully extended in front of you. Your partner will stand with their feet straddling your head. Take your hands and grip the back of each of their ankles. When you’re ready, lift your legs up toward your partner while keeping your knees straight. Your partner will grab your legs at your feet or shins and explosively throw them back down towards the floor. Contract your abdominals to prevent your feet from touching the floor and immediately lift your legs back up to your partner to prepare for the next repetition.
*Each partner should perform 3 sets of 20-30 reps
3. Scissor and Thread
Ok, this can be done with or without a partner, but because it’s a little bit more intricate, it’s fun to do with someone because you usually end up laughing the entire time! 🙂 The primary muscles worked in this exercise are the hip flexors and the transverse abdominis, which is the deepest muscle in the stomach. It will also work your rectus abdominis and obliques. Here’s how you do it:
Lay on the floor with your legs extended and feet flexed in front of you, holding a small 4-6 lb medicine ball in both hands. Tighten your abs and hinge forward to bring your head and shoulders off the ground. Keeping your right heel 4-6 inches off the floor, raise your left leg as you transfer the ball to your left hand and circle it over, then under your left thigh.
As the ball comes under, transfer it to your right hand, lower your left leg to 4-6 inches off the floor and raise your right, and continue the figure eight–style ball movement on the right. This is one rep.
*Perform 3 sets of 20-30 reps
4. Partner Triceps Dips with Squats
This compound partner exercise will work your entire body- especially your glutes, quads, hamstrings, and triceps. You can perform each of these exercises as stand-alones, but combining them makes it more fun and challenging! Here’s how you do it:
Partner 1: Sit on a bench or chair and position your hands shoulder-width apart. Scoot yourself slightly off of the bench (you want your backside to be as close to it as possible during your exercises) and extend your legs straight in front of you.
Partner 2: Stand at your partner’s feet with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and toes pointed out slightly. Bend your knees, push your glutes back and keep your shoulders and chest up as you reach down to grab your partner’s feet.
When partner one does a triceps dip (Keep your shoulders down and slowly bend your elbows to lower your body toward the floor until your elbows are at a 90 degree angle. Once you reach the bottom of the movement, press down into the bench to straighten your elbows and return to the starting position), partner two is performing a squat (Take a deep breath, contract your abs and descend like you are sitting back on a chair behind you; and be sure to keep your knees in line with your feet) in tandem. This is one rep.
*Each partner should complete 3 sets of 12-15 reps on each position of this exercise.*
Stay tuned for next week’s #WorkoutWednesday!
