One of the best ways to get motivated to workout is to incorporate partner exercises. Working out by yourself can get lonely and it can be hard to really push yourself. Knowing someone else is counting on you to get their daily workout in and vice versa will keep you accountable to show up, and put in 110- percent. There are countless couple exercises to choose from, but to get you started here are five plank exercises to get your core burning.
1. Patty Cake Plank
Both individuals begin in a high plank position, balancing on their hands and toes, facing one another. Your shoulders should be directly above your wrists and your feet should be hip-width apart. Throughout the exercise keep your core engaged while maintaining a straight line from head to toe. Then, bring your right hand off the floor and extend your arm straight out from your shoulder, reaching diagonally to slap palms with your partner. Bring your right hand back to the floor and repeat this movement with your left hand. Repeat this ‘patty cake’ exercise at a brisk pace for 60 seconds.
2. Side Plank Pass
Both individuals begin by lying on their right side 2 feet apart, parallel to each other and facing the same direction, with partner B in front and holding a 3- to 5-pound dumbbell in their left hand.
Lift your hips so you’re balancing on your right forearm and on the side of your right foot, feet should be stacked. Extend your left arm straight up in line with your shoulder, and your palm facing forward.
Partner B lifts hips slightly and passes dumbbell underneath torso to A, who takes dumbbell in left hand and then extends arm back up again (staying in side plank). Partner A then passes the dumbbell back to B, as B reaches under their body.
Repeat this for 20 reps, and then flip to left side so A is in front. Repeat, with partner A passing dumbbell back to partner B. (Only the partner in front passes weight under raised hips.)
3. Plank Push-up and Squat
To begin partner A gets into a plank position with hands slightly wider than shoulders, while partner B stands behind with feet hip-width apart, lifting up partner A’s legs by holding onto them just above the ankles.
Partner A lowers into a pushup as partner B lowers into a squat. Repeat this for one minute, and then switch places with your partner to complete the set.
4. Plank with Shoulder Touch
Both individuals begin in a high plank position, balancing on their hands and toes, facing one another. Your shoulders should be directly above your wrists and your feet should be hip-width apart. Throughout the exercise keep your core engaged while maintaining a straight line from head to toe. Then, bring your right hand off the floor and extend your arm straight out, reaching straight in front of you to tap your partner’s shoulder. Repeat with your left hand and continue this for one minute as your partner alternates with you with their opposite arm.
5. Plank with Single Leg Squat
To begin partner A gets into a plank position with hands slightly wider than shoulders, while partner B stands to the left side of them resting the top of the foot right above Partner A’s back . Partner B should be about 3 ft. away from partner A for the single leg squats. Repeat this for 15 repetitions, and then alternate to the next leg. Make sure the partner who is squatting is not putting all of their body weight onto the partner in the plank position, they should be lightly resting their foot onto their back.
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