Last year, I started taking fitness seriously and shared 30-minute fitness workouts I do at home. Today I have a guest blogger. Eric from Fit and Me, who will share fun workouts you can do with your husband or kids. Read on 🙂
Some things are best done in pairs, including workouts. Whether you are stuck inside with the kids on a rainy day, needed a new idea for “date night,” or are merely looking to get everyone involved in your new fitness goals, there are tons of exercises that can be done in a duo or with groups.
1. Partner Yoga
Kids are especially open to this one because it is a fun way to get stretchy and creative. The husband can also help you get into postures that may be unattainable alone. Partner Yoga can also enhance physical and emotional connections between two people, making it ideal for two people who want to come together. Even if you are not a total yogi, there are partner yoga poses that are simple and effective, like partnered breathing practice, partnered twist, double downward dog, and partnered boat pose.
2. Rowing Machine Circuit
There are rows of ergometers lined up in the gym for a reason—for you to have a race with your workout partner. If you have a rowing machine at home, then you can even involve the kids with this circuit that allows people to switch between the rowing machine and calisthenics:
One person does A, the other person does B. The second time around on the circuit, A becomes B, and vice versa.
1A Row for 30 seconds
1B Jumping jacks for 30 seconds
2A Mountain Climbers for 30 seconds
2B Row for 30 seconds
3A Row for 30 seconds
3B Bodyweight squats for 30 seconds
4A Squat jumps for 30 seconds
4B Row for 30 seconds
Feel free to change up the exercises as you see fit, like adding in plyometric box jumps or more children-friendly ones like bear walks.
3. Resistance Band Exercises
You are going to need a light or moderate resistance band or TheraBand for this. If you have a young dancer in the family (or maybe you and the hubby are professional dancers), you may already have a couple of bands lying around the house. These exercises require one person to hold onto the resistance band while the other partner does the work. These are fun for both adults and children. Some examples include:
Exercise 1: Triceps Kickbacks
Stand facing one another with the knees slightly bent in a gentle squat position. You and your partner hold the band on the same side (so right hand, left hand). Have a tug-o-war while you both send the arm back for triceps kickback, trying to pull the band away from your partner.
Exercise 2: Partnered Chest Press
Partner A grabs both ends of the resistance band with the loop loose around the back body. Partner B takes said loop and steps back until there is tension. From there, Partner A gets into chest press position, with elbows lifted laterally on either side of the body. Partner A pushes forward while Partner B resists the pull.
Exercise 3: Band Sprints
The resistance band is looped around the partner’s waist. You grab hold of the ends. Stability is necessary for both parties. Your partner will sprint forward until the resistance band taut then sprint in pace for 30 seconds before returning.
Photo by GraphicStock
4. Medicine Ball Exercises
One of the best tools for partnered exercises is a weighted medicine ball. If you don’t have a medicine ball or are trying to make the exercises children-friendly, you can use a beach ball or soccer ball.
Some examples of medicine ball exercises include the following:
The bodyweight squat with rotational pass – as simple as it sounds, the two of you are holding a bodyweight squat position while utilizing trunk rotation to pass the ball counter-clockwise around yourselves.
High-low twist and pass – Similar to the squat with a rotational pass, you now lift out of the squat for one side of the pass and lower to receive the ball on the otherwise.
Lateral lunge and toss – As you both lunge out to the right, for example, you create space to pass the medicine ball back and forth. You would do this about 10 times before switching sides.
Sit-up and pass – As both of you reach the high point in your sit up, you pass the ball overhead, exchange, and go back down to starting position.
Forward and rear lung with pass – One of you lunges forward as the other lunges backward. You pass the ball in the middle when you are both transitioning between the lunge.
5. Bodyweight Exercises
Partnered bodyweight exercises are perfect for outdoor exercises when you have minimal equipment. Kids will love it because many exercise mimic field day exercises and the hubby will enjoy the workout, because it’s a two for one set-up, meaning neither person gets much a rest.
Examples of partnered bodyweight exercises include:
Reach and tap planks – Both partners are in plank, head-to-head. Simultaneously reach with the right or left arm to tap each other on the shoulder.
Wheelbarrow push-up and squat – Partner A does push-ups while Partner B holds their legs and squats as Partner A lowers down.
Side plank and clap – Back to back, holding side plank, you reach underneath to clap each other’s hand then open the top arm up to clap again.
Plank hold and squat jumps – Partner A holds a plank while the other person squat jumps over the Partner A’s legs.
Partnering up to workout is fun and challenging. Whether with kids or the hubby, you can have a great workout and burn calories while making memories or building on a relationship!
Eric is the content manager at Fit&Me. Fit&Me is dedicated to helping you achieve your health and fitness goals, and transform your body by offering the best fitness equipment and knowledge you need.