Benefits of the Buddy System
Benefits of the Buddy System
Written by: Lydia Schneider, CFW Fitness Coordinator
You made the commitment to yourself last month, but sometimes it is difficult to stay on track or keep yourself accountable. Life happens! It is easy for us to cancel on ourselves. Finding a friend to exercise with, makes cancelling a lot harder. You tend to avoid that debate in your head about whether or not to workout, according to one professor at Smith College in Northampton, MA.
It has been shown that it’s easier to lose weight when your friend is losing weight. You tend to workout harder. There is someone helping to hold you accountable to get to the gym, or not eating that extra donut!
You’ve heard the saying, “Time flies when you’re having fun”. It’s true! When exercising with a friend, you aren’t focused on that clock! You start talking or laughing, and before you know it…an hour has passed! I don’t know how many times my best friend and I were so in to our conversation that we would eventually stop and wonder where we had walked to and how do we get back?!
Try this partner workout!
Warm up for 5 minutes walking or jogging. Incorporate body squats, lunges, arm circles, high knees, and light dynamic stretching. Complete the exercises as a circuit. Start with the first exercise and work your way to the last to complete one set. Perform each exercise for 45 seconds, then take 20 seconds off. Repeat 2 times.
1. Jump Squats.
2. Resistance Band Chest press. Loop the two resistances together. Facing away from your partner, press out at the same time. Balance is key on this one! (see image)
3. Mountain Climbers.
4. Plank High Fives. Facing your partner, hold plank position. Altnerating hands, give your partner a high five! (see image)
5. Russian Twist.
6. Medicine Ball Passes. Face each other. Perform a sit up while tossing a medicine ball back and forth. (see image)
7. Jumping Jacks.
8. Resistance Band Row. Just as you did before with the chest press, loop the two bands. This time, face your partner and perform a standing row at the same time. (see image)
Be sure to cool down! Take a 5-10-minute easy walk followed by some good stretching!