Doubling Up For Great Results
Written by Shoshana Pritzker Monday, 17 May 2010 20:06
By Scott Cole
Working out with a partner is a great way to get results, and better yet, enjoy the process of getting in shape. For those who have personal trainers, you know the kind of results you can achieve with someone who is right there with you, every step of the way. Keep in mind though, that the trainer/client pairing and the workout partner/buddy pairing both share the same potential psychological pitfall, and that is:
“If you are constantly depending on someone else to do the job FOR you, then you will most likely never realize any significant fitness goals.”
The positive spin on this is that if you can be inspired and motivated by working out with another person, then, like a great relationship, the results of 1+1 can equal more than 2!
As a long-time trainer, I can definitely say that the clients who stand out in my mind over the years as those who really got great results, and continued to stay on a path of health and wellness, are those who learned to embody proper form, embrace a mind/body connection, and claim the responsibility of making healthy choices…for themselves, not just because I was forcing them to do it. They also would tell me of the inspiring activities they did in-between our 2-3 times/week sessions. Consistency is yet another very important quality that can put you in the driver’s seat on your way to a happier, higher fitness level---and, a great option is that you can have a responsible passenger along the way in the form of a trainer or workout partner.
The road to inspiring and effective partnered workouts is well paved with many fun destinations along the way. Here are a few options:
1) From increased flexibility to strength gains to motivation, a certified personal trainer can really help you stay on track with your fitness goals.
2) Working out with a friend/buddy in a cardio class, lifting weights, playing as a team for two-person volleyball, going one on one in basketball, jogging, running, golfing, playing tennis, hiking, climbing, cycling, rowing, well, you name it, and having a friend along for the ride (did I mention riding???) makes it all that much more fun, providing healthy competition and motivation for both people.
3) Last, but certainly not least, is the opportunity to work out with your soul mate, partner, spouse, or any combination of the three. This is a mutual decision that many people opt out of, because one partner may not be athletic, or their interests are often so different. I recommend stretching with your significant other, and I actually have a video (how convenient!!!) called MILLENNIUM STRETCH for 2, filled with so many fun options and stretches for partners. The cool thing about stretching with your significant other is that EVERYBODY needs to stretch, regardless of interests, whereas everybody may not feel the desire or need to play softball, take jazz class, or do taekwondo. Plus, there is just something so nurturing and vulnerable about stretching someone you really love---and definitely, if you are having intimacy problems, try it, you may reconnect in ways you thought were long gone.
Stretching for two doesn't have to be romantically intimate---in fact, it most often isn't. Like partner massage, it can be between any two people---a trainer, a friend, or your significant other. Regardless of the relationship, partnered stretching is very stabilizing, therapeutic, and is an amazing way to connect with another person, while vastly improving your own flexibility. I always joke with clients about joining the circus eventually, because the results of consistent partner stretching are quite dramatic, and both partners can really see (and feel) their own progress, often in just a short time. In my one-hour training sessions, at LEAST 20 minutes is dedicated to flexibility work, because without flexibility, a person is so limited on what she or he can do. You can’t get really strong without increasing your range of motion, so don't be afraid to partner up for some fun and effective stretching.
Partnered strength training and martial arts drills (like these pictured) can be really effective too. From my Best Abs on Earth program, pictured here is the Pursed Lip Punch breathing and abs drill, where you strike a relaxed strong Horse Stance (feet parallel) or Bow Stance (one foot forward), knees slightly bent, and you PRETEND to punch your partner. Once you are experienced, and feel that your partner is too, you can make a little contact, but avoid the rib area. Both partners must exhale through pursed lips, causing the contraction of the abs as the "punch" occurs. Another fun one is the Krav Maga Crab Drill, where one partner lies on the ground in a contracted abdominal curl, keeping eyes on the standing partner, while standing partner moves from side to side and around. The partner on the ground has to shuffle her/his feet and body around on the floor, while maintaining the contracted abs position, to keep facing the standing partner. Both of these partnered exercises, and more, are also in my book, Athletic Abs (co-authored with Tom Seabourne, Human Kinetics, 2002).
Strength, cardio, stretching, and relaxation are all aspects that can be enjoyed with a partner and/or trainer, but remember, it is an interdependent relationship that is desired, not a co-dependent one. If your partner can’t show up for a workout, don’t use that as an excuse to miss yours. Stay active no matter what everybody else does. It is up to you to make healthy choices, for YOU, and there is immense freedom in enjoying those proactive choices with another person.
BIO: Wellness expert, Scott Cole, has brought innovative exercises and partnered pairings to video in Millennium Stretch for 2, Best Abs on Earth, and in his co-authored book Athletic Abs. He even emphasizes the power of partnered work with children in his Get Fit America for Kids program/video/dvd, and is featured regularly on ABC's The View with Meredith Vieira for 2004. Visit him at www.scottcole.com