GET FIT TOGETHER

Exercise with a friend, and you’ll stay motivated and focused. BY KAREN ASP

Friends keep us healthy in so many ways. Studies indicate they can lower blood pressure, improve memory, and even help us get fit: Research from Indiana University shows that people who exercise together are seven times more likely to stick with a routine than those who go it alone.

Stay motivated. When workouts get difficult, friends can be a source of encouragement, says Jim Annesi, Ph.D., director of wellness advancement at the YMCA of Metropolitan Atlanta. “Exercising with a partner motivates you to work harder and try something new,” says Kaitlin Kay, a trainer at Peak Performance gym in New York City.

Buddy up. Try the following workout, designed by Kay. In some of the exercises, you and your friend use each other’s body weight as resistance. In others, you rely on your friend’s reaction skills. You’ll not only increase strength (especially in the lower body and core), you’ll also improve your balance and coordination—and have a lot more fun than exercising solo.

YOU’LL NEED 

►A partner ►A 4- to 8-pound medicine ball like the Everlast Rubber Medicine Ball ($25) ►A yoga mat
►A light resistance band 

Partner squat 

Works your quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteal muscles.

A | Stand facing your partner, about two arms’ lengths away. Your feet should be slightly wider than hip-width apart and turned out slightly. Extend your arms forward and grab each other’s wrists, holding on to each other throughout the exercise.

B | Along with your partner, bend your knees and slowly lower your body until your thighs are nearly parallel to the floor (or as close to that position as is comfortable). Communicate with your partner to make sure you’re not going too low for her. And don’t let your knees extend past your toes. Return to standing and repeat.

Do 12 to 15 squats. Rest for one minute and repeat for a total of three sets.

Rear delt row Works your shoulders.

A | Stand facing your partner and ask her to hold the middle of a resistance band at about chest height. Grab the ends of the band. With your arms extended straight out in front of you at chest height, hands about shoulder-width apart, and palms facing down, step a few feet away from your partner until you feel some resistance in the band.

B | Plant your feet (they should be about shoulder-width apart). As you hold the band, keep your arms parallel to the ground, palms facing down, and pull your elbows back, bringing your wrists close to the sides of your torso. Pretend you’re squeezing a pencil between your shoulder blades. (If there’s too much resistance in the band, step closer to your partner.) Slowly release to start and repeat.

Do 12 to 15 repetitions. Then switch positions with your partner. Repeat for a total of three sets.

Standing oblique toss Works your core.

A | Hold a 4- to 8-pound medicine ball and stand several feet away from your partner (for more of a challenge, stand 10 to 15 feet apart) with your left side facing her right side. Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and turned out slightly and contract your abdominals. Bend your knees slightly, pivot on your right foot, and twist to your left, reaching the ball past your left knee.

B | Then turn back to the right, pivoting on your left foot, and toss the ball to your partner.

C | After your partner catches the ball, she should twist to her right and bring the ball past her right knee, pivoting on her left foot. Then, as she pivots on her right foot and turns back to the left, she’ll throw the ball back to you.

Repeat until each of you has completed 15 tosses. Then switch sides and do another 15 tosses. Repeat the series a total of three times.

Medicine ball sit-up Works your core.

A | Lie on your back on a yoga mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold a 4- to 8-pound medicine ball at your chest and ask your partner to stand by your feet, facing you. Keep your feet and buttocks on the floor throughout the exercise.

B | Push your lower back into the floor, and using your abdominals, lift up into a half sitting position. If this is too much for your lower back or your abs, curl into a crunch with just your shoulder blades off the floor.

C | As you lift, throw the ball to your partner. Hold the position as your partner catches the ball and tosses it back to you. Catch the ball and slowly return to the floor.

Repeat for 15 to 20 tosses. Switch positions with your partner and repeat. Do a total of three sets.  Return to Natural Health.