Partners in Muscle: Grab a Friend, Get Results

Let’s face it: working out alone can be a, well, very lonely experience. Though there are benefits to working out alone, they don’t outweigh the benefits of working out with a partner with similar goals. Here are some benefits to working with a training partner:

1. Accountability: Having someone you have to answer to when it comes to working out is crucial. It helps guarantee consistency when it comes to sticking with a workout program. When one is slacking off, the other helps pull him or her out of their rut and back on the road to making gains.
2. Camaraderie: There’s something awesome when two parties agree on a common goal. Trust is formed. Friendships get deeper. You motivate each other. You also keep each other grounded. If cultivated, this level of comradeship cannot be stopped, and your goals are more attainable than ever before.
3. Discipline: Holding each other to a certain code is imperative when setting out to accomplish something as important as bettering your health, fitness and performance. It builds up one’s ability to stick to your fitness program no matter what may come and deter you. The ability to resist temptation is amplified, especially to foods you shouldn’t be eating.
4. Competition: Let’s be honest. It’s inevitable that things will eventually get competitive between you and your training partner. You’re going to want to outdo each other. Who’s the strongest? Who can do the most reps?  Who can run the farthest?  This type of environment (if amicable) will take your results to the next level.

Here is a unique program utilizes the many benefits of having a training partner and will propel you to achieving your fitness goals:

Core/Balance/Plyos: 3 sets of the following:

1. Medball Sit-Up Pass – 16 reps
2. Lying Leg Throwdown – 15 reps
3. High/Low Medball WoodChop Pass – 20 reps
4. Single-Leg Medball Chest Pass – 10 rep per leg
5. Plank Hold (Partner 1), with Lateral Jump (Partner 2) – 12 reps
6. Band-Resisted Forward Jump – 12 reps

Resistance Training

1. Partner Wheelbarrow Push-Up Walk – 12 reps (1 push-up + 2 steps = 1 rep)
2. Fireman’s Carry Squat with Partner – 6 reps per shoulder – 12 reps total
3. Prowler Rope Pull (with partner as weight) – 25 yards
4. Wall Sit/Bulgarian Split Squat Combo (partner 1: wall sit; partner 2: props foot on partner 1’s thigh and performs BSS as Rx’d)
5. Manually Resisted Seated Shoulder Press – 12 reps
6. Band-Resisted Sprints – 25 yards
7. Weighted Triceps Push-Ups (partner 1 performing push-ups with plate(s) placed on upper back by partner 2) – 12 reps
8. Manually Resisted Towel Biceps Curls (partner 1 holds middle of towel; partner 2 holds both ends and performs biceps curl) – 12 reps

BY JOHN PORTER JR.
MUSCLETECH AMBASSADOR