Partner up exercises

Wheelbarrow Push-ups

Begin with your partner in full push-up position. Assume a squat position, grab his feet and hold them in your hands while he performs push-ups. It’s important that he keeps his abdominal muscles fully engaged, as this is a more advanced exercise, placing more stress on the low back. Have him do as many reps as he can with good form.Double up: Get in on the action by performing squats while your partner does his push-ups—up on his up phase, down on his down phase

Medicine Ball Toss on Stability Ball

Lie in crunch position on a stability ball while your partner stands in front of you. Toss a medicine ball to your partner from the overhead position as you crunch forward. He catches it, squats down and throws it back to you as he stands back up from the squat, using an underhand toss. Do 15 to 20 reps. Modification: If it is too much strain on the shoulders to throw the ball from the overhead position, push-pass it from the chest instead. Double up: After 15 to 20 reps, have your partner shuffle side-to-side, which in turn, makes you throw diagonally, bringing the oblique muscles more into play.

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Crunches with Exercise Tubing

Lie on the floor, a stability ball or a BOSU ball; hold exercise tubing handles while your partner holds the tubing behind you. Extend your arms back and as you crunch, pull your arms forward to your legs. Return to the starting position and repeat for 15 to 20 reps.Modification: If it is too strenuous on the shoulders to pull the tubing with the arms extended, keep the elbows bent, hands by ears, so that when you crunch forward, you are extending from the elbows.

Squats with Medicine Ball Toss

Stand facing your partner, several feet apart, while you hold a medicine ball. Squat down and toss the medicine ball underhand to your partner while you stand back up; after he catches it, he tosses it back to you. Continue to toss the ball back and forth until you’ve both completed 12 to 15 reps.

Side-to-Side Medicine Ball Toss

Stand several feet away from your partner, side-to-side, both facing the same direction. Rotate away from her while you toss a medicine ball up, catch it, then rotate the opposite direction and toss the ball to your partner. Continue to repeat for 12 to 15 repetitions each; turn and repeat on the other side.Modification: If it becomes too tiresome to toss the ball up to yourself, simply swing it up without tossing before turning and throwing to your partner.

Overhead Medicine Ball Pass with Squat

Stand back-to-back with your partner while you hold a medicine ball. Both of you should be in a squatting position while you roll the medicine ball between your legs to your partner. He takes the ball as you both stand up and then he passes the ball overhead to you. Continue to repeat; after 12 to 15 repetitions, switch so that you are passing the ball overhead and he is passing it between the legs.Take note: It is tempting to round the back, tip forward from the hips, and watch where the ball is going during the squatting portion of this exercise. Emphasize good technique with the squat: press back through the buttocks, heels down, chest up, abdominal muscles engaged. Also, when passing or receiving the ball overhead, keep the abdominal muscles engaged and knees slightly bent; do not lock them out, as this will place more strain on the low back.

Chest Press/Flys with Tubing

Hold the tubing’s handles while your partner holds the center of the tubing behind you, pulling on it to provide more resistance. Perform a set of chest presses (eight to 12 reps) and another set of flys (eight to 12 reps).

Standing Rows/Reverse Flys with Tubing

Hold the tubing’s handles while your partner stands in front of you holding the tubing, pulling on it to provide more resistance. Perform a set of standing rows (eight to 12 reps) and then a set of standing reverse flys (eight to 12 reps).

Standing Rows/Reverse Flys with Tubing

Hold the tubing’s handles while your partner stands in front of you holding the tubing, pulling on it to provide more resistance. Perform a set of standing rows (eight to 12 reps) and then a set of standing reverse flys (eight to 12 reps).

Partner Leg Press with Tubing

Lie supine on the floor, with legs up and knees bent, as your partner kneels or stands in a partial squat behind you—at your head—holding onto the exercise-tubing handles or to the tubing just below the handles. Place the center of the tubing around one or both of your feet (make sure the band is sitting in the notch of your shoe, at the top of your heel—if it is higher toward the ball of the foot, it may slip off and snap you or your partner). Pull your knees in and then extend the legs; slowly pull the knees back in and repeat. Take Note: Use a band with higher resistance for this exercise. If you don’t have one, do one leg at a time.

Lateral Raise With Tubing

Hold one handle of the tubing in your right hand, arm extended down by your leg, while your partner stands or squats down to the left of you, holding the rest of the tubing. Abduct the arm away from your body until it’s about shoulder-height, and then slowly lower back to the starting position. Complete eight to 12 repetitions and then move on to the next exercise. Take note: At the top of the movement, the shoulder, elbow and wrist should all be in the same plane. Also, keep the wrist stiff throughout the movement.Kick it up: To increase the difficulty of this exercise, at the top of the last rep, hold the position for a few seconds, and then perform eight to 12 mini-reps, pulsing the band up and down just a few inches. Slowly lower back to the starting position.

Time-saver Tip: Do these next three exercises in order.

Rotator Cuff/Shoulder with Tubing

Hold one handle of the tubing in your right hand, while your partner stands to the left of you holding the rest of the tubing. “Glue” your upper arm to the side of your body while bending your elbow at a 90-degree angle. Maintain this position while you pull the handle out away from the body; slowly return to the starting position. Repeat for eight to 12 repetitions and then move on to the next exercise.

Core Twist with Tubing

Hold both handles of the tubing together with both hands, while your partner stands to your left holding the center of the tubing. Starting with your arms extended and to the left side of your body, rotate through the core to pull your arms to the right. Slowly release back to the starting position and repeat for 12 to 15 reps. Repeat the entire sequence on the other side.

Overhead Press/Triceps Overhead Press with Tubing

Hold one handle of the tubing in your right hand, hand at your shoulder and elbow at your side, while your partner squats behind you, standing on or holding the rest of the tubing. Perform overhead presses by extending the arm up. Complete eight to 12 repetitions and then move right into the triceps overhead press for another eight to 12 repetitions. Switch sides and repeat.

For more great partner exercises and workouts, check out ACE’s exercise library:

www.acefitness.org/exerciselibrary/exercises.aspx?mastertag=Partner%20Exercises

www.acefitness.org/workouts/22/