Does your workout bring you joy or has it gone stale?
If it’s the latter, it might be time to shake up your routine.
Working out with a partner is not only a fun way to do it, but—according to this 2019 study—could even boost your mood.
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“Engaging in exercise with others could be effective in improving mental wellbeing relative to engaging in exercise alone,” the authors noted.
It’s a belief similarly shared by Matt Van Mol and Cyan Koay, co-founders of Strong Band.
“I love partner workouts because you’re not only showing up for yourself, you’re showing up for someone you care about too,” says Van Mol.
“You go through the challenge together, you push each other through and that sense of accomplishment at the end is amplified because you are sharing it.”
Even if you don’t want to keep going for yourself, he adds, “you keep going for them”.
Here the CIMSPA-qualified personal trainers share one of their go-to full-body partner workouts using bands, meaning this workout can be performed anywhere.
All you need is a long-loop resistance band and a willing workout buddy.
How to perform the 20-minute partner workout
The routine
The routine combines two supersets, alternating lower- and upper-body exercises, before wrapping up with a mountain climber finisher.
The supersets
Perform exercises A and B back-to-back, with minimal rest between, then pause for 30 seconds before the next superset.
The mountain climber finisher
For the finisher, one partner will hold a plank while the other does mountain climbers. Perform 20 mountain climbers for the first round, then 16, 12, eight and finally four. Switch roles after every round.
Frequency and exertion
“We recommend completing this full-body workout one to three times per week,” says Koay.
Van Mol adds that if it’s your first time doing these exercises, aim to work to a perceived rate of exertion of six out of 10, allowing yourself to “really understand the form and learn the movement patterns” first.
If it’s not your first rodeo, “push this to an eight out of 10 effort to challenge yourself and encourage progressive overload,” which will see you getting stronger over time.
Assign yourselves as partner one or two and let’s get going.
1A. Partner reverse lunge
Sets: 2 Reps: 12 each side
- Start with partner one and partner two standing next to each other.
- Loop the resistance band around partner one’s right leg and partner two’s left leg just above your knees.
- Maintain enough distance to create tension in the band. You should both feel your adductor muscles (on the inside of your thighs) resisting the pull of the band toward your partner.
- Together, take a big step back with your unbanded legs, lowering your back knees toward the floor.
- Push through your front feet to return to standing.
- Complete all the repetitions on one side, then repeat on the other.
1B Partner decline chest press
Sets: 2 Reps: 12 each
- Start with partner one in front and partner two standing behind, both facing forward.
- Loop the resistance band around partner one’s chest.
- Partner two turns to face the other way and presses the band away from their chest in an upward motion and holds this position.
- Partner one steps one foot forward for stability and presses the band away from their chest in a downward motion toward the floor.
- Partner one performs 12 repetitions with control.
- Swap roles and repeat.
2A Partner seated row
Sets: 2 Reps: 12
- Partners one and two sit on the floor facing each other, legs outstretched and feet touching.
- Both partners hold the resistance band taut, so it forms a rectangle.
- Partner two pulls the band toward their waist to create tension and holds the position, keeping elbows tucked into their sides.
- Partner one pulls the band into their waist, squeezing their shoulder blades and keeping elbows tucked, in a rowing motion.
- Partner one releases the band toward partner two and repeats this 12 times.
- Swap roles and repeat.
2B Partner pancake hinge
Sets: 2 Reps: 12-15
- Partner one and two sit on the floor facing each other, legs outstretched and wide in a V shape—bend your knees slightly if you need.
- Partner two pulls the band toward their waist to create tension and holds this position, keeping elbows tucked into their sides.
- Partner one hinges at their hips to lower their chest toward the floor, keeping a flat back.
- Partner one raises their torso again, keeping arms extended, then repeats this 12 times.
- Swap roles and repeat.
Trainer tip: Keep your knees slightly bent to move through a deeper range of motion. A heavier resistance band or sitting on a cushion can also help.
3. Partner mountain climber
Sets: 1 Reps: 20-16-12-8-4 (10-8-6-4-2 each side)
- Partner one and two assume a high-plank position facing away from each other.
- Loop the resistance band around your feet to create tension.
- Partner two holds this position as the anchor, with core engaged and palms pressed into the floor.
- Partner one drives one knee toward their elbow, then returns to the starting position and repeats on the other side to perform mountain climbers.
- Partner one completes 20 repetitions, then partner two completes 20 repetitions.
- Continue alternating roles to complete the descending ladder of repetitions (20, 16, 12, 8, then 4).