Share Your Love of Exercise with a Partner Workout

It's the week before Valentine's day and love is in the air. This week for workout Wednesday I am sharing a workout that you can do with the love of your life, your better half or any sucker you can convince to work out with you. hah.

Finding a workout partner can be a great way to stay motivated to exercise. Any partner will do, but when it's your spouse or significant other it makes it easy to encourage each other, cheer each other on and push each other with a little friendly competition. After all, they already live in your house.

For this blog post I recruited my BFF and bootcamp attendee Cathy and her husband Chad. They were the perfect couple to showcase for this Valentine's Day partner workout post, because they just got married in January!

Congratulations to the newlyweds, Chad and Cathy! Aren't they cute? They came over to the #shredshed ready to work out and be my fitness models (sorry, the gig doesn't pay well). I am also secretly thrilled that someone else is in my exercise photos besides me. 

This workout is in a circuit style. We are going to perform the assigned reps for each exercise and move to the next exercise without resting. This way we will keep our heart rate up for a cardio and strength workout in one. Once you complete the circuit, rest for one minute between circuits and repeat one to two more times. 

We are using an 8 lb medicine ball. This is an affiliate link: That means if you decided to purchase from this link, I make a small percentage of the sale with no additional cost to you. No one is getting rich here, it just helps with the running (pun intended) of this blog. 8 lb medicine ball.

Partner Workout. Save to Pinterest for Later!

LUNGE PASS WITH TWIST

Stand side by side with your partner. Each partner will lunge forward on opposite legs so the forward legs are next to each other (see picture). Twist towards the forward leg and pass the medicine ball to your partner. The other partner accepts the medicine ball then both partners face forward and return to standing.

This time both partners lunge forward using the other leg and twist away from each other. Return to facing forward then back to standing. Repeat on each leg eight times. 

LATERAL SQUAT PASS

Face your partner and with your hips pushed back, lower into a squat position. Staying in the low position both partners take a big step out to the side, then bring together both feet and pass the ball. Do four reps on each side before moving on to the next exercise. 

SQUAT PRESS AND ROLL

Face your partner. Both partners squat down with a straight back and chest up. While in the low squat position, roll the medicine ball to your partner. The other partner accepts the medicine ball and stands up and presses the ball overhead. Each partner should squat and press 8 times with the medicine ball before moving to the next exercise. 

RUSSIAN TWIST

Sit with your back to your partner at a 45 degree angle. Lift your heels off the ground to increase the challenge. Rotate your torso to pass the medicine ball to your partner. The other partner accepts the medicine ball and passes back on the other side. That is one rep. Complete eight reps before moving on to the next exercise. On the next circuit, pass the ball in the other direction.

STRAIGHT ARM PLANK TAP

Face your partner in a straight arm high plank position. Make sure your wrists are directly below your shoulders and your body is in a straight line from your shoulders to your toes. Do not allow your hips to raise or sag. Lift one arm to tap your partner's opposite hand as shown, then do the other side, this is one rep. Tap eight times before moving on to the next exercise.

STRAIGHT ARM SIDE PLANK WITH REACH UNDER

Partners perform a straight arm side plank so they are back to back. Be sure the shoulders are stacked directly over the wrists. With one arm straight in air touch hands in the high position, then reach below to touch hands under the plank. Complete 8 reps and switch sides. (Or change sides on next time through the circuit.)

Do you feel the love? Grab your #swolemate, your #fitfam or your #gymbuddy and use all the hashtags when you do the workout. 

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Coach Lea

30 DAY PLANK CHALLENGE

Welcome to the latest edition of workout Wednesday! Each week I share a strength training or running workout to keep you motivated. This week we are talking planks. I put together this plank challenge for beginners to progress you to a one minute plank or more in 30 days! Are you ready? 

Planks are my favorite core exercise because they engage all major core muscle groups including the transverse abdominus, the rectus abdominus, the external oblique muscle and the glutes. Do your planks regularly to improve core strength. Great for runners!

Beginners: Follow the plan as shown. Alternate between the plank exercises every day. For example: Day 1 you will do a 20 second straight arm plank, day 2 a 20 second elbow plank and and day 3 a 20 second side plank (on each side), day 4 back to straight arm plank for 30 seconds and so on according to the schedule. 

If you can't hold for 20 seconds without rest, hold for as long as you, then add 5 to 10 seconds every 3 days. Progress at your own speed. 

Advanced: Perform all three exercises every day.

STRAIGHT ARM PLANK

In a high plank position position your shoulders directly over your wrists. Your body should form a straight line from your heels to your head. Do not allow your hips to sag down or raise up in the air. Engage your abs and breathe normally.

ELBOW PLANK

Begin in a low forearm plank position. Position your elbows on the floor with your hands flat on the floor and your shoulders directly over your elbows. Do not clasp your hands in front of you. Your body should be in a straight line parallel to the floor. Engage your core, pulling your belly while breathing normally. Be careful not to sink your hips or raise your butt in the air. 

SIDE PLANK (EACH SIDE) 

With a straight arm lift yourself up into a side plank position. Your shoulders should be directly over your wrists. Stack your feet and don't allow your hips to drop. 

If a straight arm side plank is too challenging, start on your elbow.

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THE "BIG GAME" FOOTBALL WORKOUT

Hi, Friends. It is Super Bowl season again but my beloved Pittsburgh Steelers aren't going to the big game this year. I was never a huge football fan growing up, but ever since I left my hometown of Pittsburgh, PA (20 years ago) I've grown to love watching my Steelers. It's my connection to home.

In our house, we joke that we cheer for the Steelers and whoever is playing the Dallas Cowboys. (Sorry Cowboys fans, you had a great season.) I drive my husband crazy asking "what just happened?" and needing him to explain the rules for the millionth time, but I like to watch the games, especially when my team is doing well. When they're not doing well it stresses me out a little. Sometimes I need to walk out of the house during the game because the tension gets too much for me. I don't handle stress well. hah. 

Even though the games I care about can stress me out, I like the sounds of football as background noise. Hearing the announcer's voices and the cheers from the crowds is soothing and relaxing to me, no matter what game is on. I think it is because growing up in Pittsburgh all family gatherings and holidays had a backdrop of football and even though I didn't like to watch football back then, I think I associate the sounds on the TV with the good 'ol days. I guess that's what happens when you grow up in a football town. You get sentimental for football.

I put together a BIG GAME workout that you can do during the Super Bowl. It's a fun way to get active and engaged in the game so you're not just sitting on your butt for three hours. Just be careful not to spill your beer. Just kidding. See if you can get your game watching buddies in on the fun. 

FIRST DOWN

Any time a team gets a first down then you perform 10 squats

PENALTY

One pushup for every penalty yard. 5 yard penalty = 5 pushups

FIELD GOAL

Field goal is worth three points, so let's do three lunges on each leg for every field goal

INTERCEPTION

If there is an interception, pull up a dining room chair (or edge of the couch) and perform 15 chair dips OR as an alternative perform the player's jersey number of jumping jacks. Example: Antonio Brown intercepts the ball, you do 84 jumping jacks. 

TOUCHDOWN

Touchdown is 6 points, so we will do 6 burpees for every touchdown

EXTRA POINT

One minute plank if they kick the extra point or two minutes of jumping jacks if going for two

Let me know how it goes! Who are you rooting for?

Have fun, friends!

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5 x 5 x 5 UPPER BODY WORKOUT 5 EXERCISES | 5 REPS | 5 ROUNDS

Welcome to the latest edition of workout Wednesday! Last week I shared my 5x5x5 Leg Workout, so it seemed only fitting to follow up with the upper body workout version. 

You perform each exercise for 5 reps before moving on to the next exercise without rest. After you complete the five exercises, rest for one minute and repeat the circuit four more times. By the end you will have performed 25 reps of each exercise and ran 2.5 miles. Not too shabby for a strength and running workout!

Set a timer to see how long it takes you get through the five circuits to establish a baseline time frame for future workouts, but you should not rush through the exercises for time. It is more important to perform each exercise with perfect form than it is to complete it quickly. 

5 exercises | 5 reps | 5 rounds

PUSH UPS

Start in a high plank position with your hands placed a little wider than your shoulders. Keeping your body in a straight line, while engaging your core, bend your elbows to lower your chest to the floor. Once in the low position, push back up to the starting position. If this is too challenging, drop to your knees. 

TRICEP DIPS

Position your hands shoulder width apart behind you on a bench. Slide your booty off the front of the bench with your legs extended out in front of you. Keep your elbows close to your sides (don't allow them to flare out) and lower your body toward the floor until your elbows are at about a 90-degree angle while keeping your back close to the bench. From the low position, straighten your elbows to return to the starting position. Keep your shoulders down as you lower and raise your body. If this is too challenging you can bend your legs to modify the exercise.

PLANK ROWS

Start in a high straight arm plank position with your wrists directly under your shoulders with your legs wider than hip width for stability. Keep your body in a straight line from your shoulders to ankles while engaging your core. Do not allow your hips to hike up or sag down.

With your core tight and your glutes engaged lift your right elbow to row as you bend your elbow up toward the ceiling. Keep your elbows close to your side, do not allow them to flare out. Do 5 reps on each side before moving on to the next exercise. I am using a 12 lb weight here  (affiliate link) but you could do this same movement without any weight.

MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS

Let's work that core! Start in a high straight arm plank position with your wrists directly under your shoulders with your legs wider than hip width for stability. Keep your body in a straight line from your shoulders to ankles while engaging your core. Do not allow your hips to hike up or sag down. Quickly bring your right leg, then your left leg in to touch your elbows. Right leg, left leg = one rep. 

5 MILE RUN

You can do the .5 mile run on a treadmill (like I do in the #shredshed), at the track (like we might do at boot camp) or on the street. If you decide to run on the streets you can measure the distance using a running app or in your car. The pace of your .5 mile run should be comfortably hard, this means you should be pushing your pace slightly outside your comfort zone (not a leisurely jog) but also not going all-out 100%. 

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

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WHAT I'M WEARING 

These are affiliate links which means if you make a purchase, I make a small commission with no extra cost to you. This helps support the running (pun intended) of this blog.

Nike Women's Pro Warm Up Zip Long Sleeve Shirt

5 x 5 x 5 LEG WORKOUT | 5 EXERCISES | 5 REPS | 5 ROUNDS

Welcome to the latest edition of Workout Wednesday! This week were are working on leg strength and endurance. This workout is called 5 x 5 x 5 because it is 5 exercises, 5 reps (each round) and 5 rounds. You will have completed 25 reps of each exercise and a 2.5 mile run by the time you finish. This type of workout is a great way to combine your strength & running workouts into one efficient session.

I encourage you to set a timer and make a note of how long it takes you to finish all five rounds. This will be your benchmark for future sessions. When you do the workout later, you can see how much you have improved. While I encourage you to do it for time, I need to remind you that form is always more important than speed, especially as you get into the later rounds and start to feel fatigued. Do the exercises as slowly as you need to in order to execute perfect form. Fast but sloppy exercises won't bring you any closer to your goals and could even cause injury. Be safe, friends!

Grab a stopwatch and let's give this one a try.

5 x 5 x 5 LEG WORKOUT | 5 EXERCISES | 5 REPS | 5 ROUNDS

SQUAT

Push your hips back and lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor, like you are sitting back in a chair, or as low as your flexibility allows. Shift your weight onto your heels. In the low position, engage your core, squeeze your glutes and push back up to standing. 

LUNGE

With your feet hip width apart and your toes pointed straight ahead, engage your core and keep your back straight. Take one large step with your right leg to lunge forward until your front knee is lined up over your ankle and your back knee is nearly touching the floor. Do not allow your knee to move forward over your toes. Resist the urge to lean forward or rest your arms on your thighs. Once you are in the lunge position push back up to starting position. Repeat on other side.

SIDE LUNGE

With both toes pointing forward, push your hips back and take a large step to your right and bend your right knee into a side lunge position and straighten your left leg. Do not allow your knees to move forward past your toes. Lower your hips as low as your flexibility will allow. Push back to starting position and repeat on the other side.

CURTSY SQUAT

Stand with your feet hip width apart. Cross your right leg behind the body and to the left. Bend left knee 90 degrees, or as low your flexibility will allow, toes pointing forward, then return to starting position. Repeat on other side.

.5 MILE RUN

You can do the .5 mile run on a treadmill (like I do in the #shredshed), at the track (like we might do at boot camp) or on the street. If you decide to run on the streets you can measure the distance using a running app or in your car. The pace of your .5 mile run should be comfortably hard, this means you should be pushing your pace slightly outside your comfort zone (not a leisurely jog) but also not going all-out 100%. 

How was your time? People often judge their fitness success by things like numbers on the scale, but that is just one small piece of the puzzle. I like to look at fitness in terms of fitness progression. Are you better than you were last week? Last month? Last year? Compare yourself to yourself (not to others and not to some arbitrary number on the scale). Do this workout this week and then again next month to track your fitness progress. 

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Coach Lea