By Praveen & Maahek Nair
If you are spending a lot of time working from home, you are spending a lot more time with your partner. You can use this opportunity to start the day to do something fun with a couple’s workout.
Although don’t get too excited and set the entire week as a couple’s workout, start slow with twice a week. This also gives you time to get acclimated to the new exercises and it can also be a fun change to your regular workout routine.
This can also work wonders for your consistency as your partner keeps you in check every morning or it can be something you can both skip together (not too much though).
Couples Workout Routine you can use to make the best of your stay-at-home life.
- Beginners – 30 sec workout/ 10 sec break
- Intermediate – 40 sec workout/ 10 sec break
- Advanced – 40 sec workout/ 5 sec break
Hand-Held (couple) Squats
- Hold both hands the whole time, the one below is much more dynamic and fun but this is better for beginners
- Alternatively, you can also hold hands for a supported squat, alternate & shift between left and right hand as you hold hands (arnold style), and flex your quads to stay in balance.
- Sure to make you smile as you watch one of you go off balance.
General Instructions
- Keep your back straight
- Legs shoulder length apart
- Grab each other’s hand as you slowly squat
- You should feel pressure on your quadriceps
Wheelbarrow push up + Squat
Similar to how you did it during P.E./ sports class in school. But instead of running on your hands like in sports class, this is a coordinated exercise. Where you both perform different exercises simultaneously.
How to do it
- 30-sec workout with 10-sec rest
- Hold your partner’s legs as you stand, the person on the ground will hold the high plank position.
- Use count to signal when to start as you both start together.
- The person on the ground will perform the wheelbarrow push-up, while the person standing will do a squat.
Do this slowly at first as both of you have to coordinate.
General instruction
Wheelbarrow Push up
- Keep Hand at shoulder level
- Look at the ground
- Keep your back straight
- Core tight
- Keep your body in a straight line
Squats
- Back straight
- Keep a shoulder level gap between your Legs
Couple Clap(High Five) Push Up
- Start these with Knee assisted push up if one of you is new or cannot do more than 15 push-ups unassisted.
- Start with a knee-assisted push-up and if you both feel this is too easy then go for the unassisted push-up.
- Make sure your head is facing your partner’s shoulder, this makes it easier to clap (as shown here)
- After each repetition, look forward to your partner and you both clap your hands together.
Back to Back Wall Sit
- Put your feet forward
- Keep your Back straight
- Feet shoulder-width apart
- Go down till both your knees are at a 90-degree angle
- Press your heels on the ground
- You should feel pressure on your glutes
Getting up from this position is a bit tricky with a partner as you both have to coordinate and slowly adjust your legs and back.
Medicine Ball Sit-up Workout
- Both feet flat on the floor
- Knees bent at a 90-degree angle
- Place both your feet close to your partners like this
- At which point you throw the ball to your partner
This is not just good for health but also something you can do together with your spouse. Add something new to your stay-at-home life while also being healthy together.
Push forward and progress together as you see not just individual growth but experience the results together.