Shannon Flanagan is a certified personal trainer. Follow her on Instagram (@shanagan9) for a sneak peek at her workouts and inspirational quotes. Ahead, she shares the best workout routine to try with your training partner.
How do you keep your motivation going strong when you’re just about ready to ditch your fitness-focused new year’s resolution? Get yourself a workout partner! Think of someone in your life who will hold you accountable when the going gets tough. Yep, we’re talking best friends.
We’ve reached that time of year when it’s cold some days and warm on other days (welcome to the winter-spring transition!), turning anyone off to the idea of giddily going to the gym. But training with a workout partner opens new possibilities.
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In case you needed a refresher, here are a few reasons why having a training partner is the key to workout success:
- It’s harder to make an excuse not to go to the gym when you have someone relying on you to be there for them.
- You have a personal cheerleader and someone to motivate you to keep pushing yourself.
- You will have more fun! When you’re with your best friend, it is hard not to catch up and tell each other stories in between sets.
- You’ll get a better workout. Studies show that working out with a partner tends to bring out our competitive side, which means you’ll try harder!
- You’ll be less likely to burn out. When you make a date to work out with a friend, you likely get excited. It’s a way to bond, compete, and hang out.
Whenever I’m working out with my best friend, we’ll pick two exercises. One of us takes on the role of “the timer” while the other person performs a different exercise until the “timer” partner finishes her own. Then you switch places. I set a timer to do each set as fast as possible for 6-8 minutes. Then it’s time to try out a new set of exercises.
Vital note: Each station is set for 8 minutes.
A Workout Routine to Try with Your BFF
Exercise 1
Partner #1 (timer): .1-mile sprint on the treadmill.
Partner #2: 2 squats (hold the weights by your shoulders) and 2 shoulder presses.
Exercise 2
Partner #1 (timer): 15 box jumps or TRX jumps.
Partner #2: 5 push-ups and 5 DB back flys.
Exercise 3
Partner #1 (timer): 10 deadlifts (using a barbell, kettlebell, or dumbbells).
Partner #2: V-ups (or ab exercise of choice).
Exercise 4
Partner #1 (timer): 150m on the row machine.
Partner #2: Alternating lunges and bicep curls.
Remember to aid your post-workout recovery with a Restore Collagen Shot.
