How many of us started lockdown swearing we would come out the other end half the size? Social media influencers have been passing around the message that we all need to achieve something during lockdown, and many of us decided to work for our dream beach bodies. Brits are two months into lockdown, and the initial spark of motivation to stick to a healthy lifestyle has dwindled into boredom eating and sitting on the sofa, for some. Working out with a partner could be the motivation you need to kickstart your transformation.Express.co.ukchatted to personal trainer, and chartered physiotherapist Sammy Margo to find out why you should work out in a pair.
Sammy said: One study found that 95 percent of those who started a weight-loss programme with a friend completed the programme.
"This study recruited 166 participants either alone or with three friends or family members and then randomly assigned them to a standard.
Lockdown offers a great opportunity to get fit, inside or outside.
All exercise, if done safely and appropriately, is good for fitness and works if we stick to it. But sticking to it can be a problem.
We often do better exercising with others as it can be hard to gain the motivation to do it on your own.
Many of us are in lockdown with partners and family so this is a great time to get fit together and improve family or household relationships at the same time.
You could work out with a friend, partner, or family member. This could include a teenage son or daughter, and even friends and family in other households if you do it by zoom.
Sammy told us five reasons why you should consider working out with someone else. Read on to find out what they are.
READ MORE- How to get motivated to exercise
If you struggle to force yourself out of bed an hour early, working out with someone else will do the trick. It holds you accountable.
Sammy explained: Working out with a friend, partner, or family member helps you get motivated, keep motivated and stick to it!
If you have an appointment with someone or more than one to do a workout at a set time, you are more likely to get started as you wont want to lose face.
Others in your household working out with you may generate and share new ideas for work outs from social media/Youtube. Get any youngsters researching.
Variety in exercises really helps to keep you all motivated.
Working out under someone elses watchful eye is much safer than tackling heavy weights alone.
Sammy said: Working out with others is safer. Someone else can spot if you are handling weights inappropriately or if you appear to be hurting somewhere and they will tell you to top.
Keep on top of sprains and pain niggles. Be sure to warm up before you start your work out.
Working out with others will remind you to take safety procedures, such as applying Deep Heat before you start.
Sammy advised: Use Deep Heat Muscle Massage Roll-on Lotion as part of your warm up to increase the circulation to the muscles instead of loosen and soften muscles so they move more easily.
It ticks all the boxes for me as it provides heat and massage therapy together plus it is a great rehab for soft tissue; helps reduce muscle tightness and eases and releases knots in shoulders and backs so you are more comfortable. And it has a pleasant herbal fragrance.
Theres nothing like a bit of competition to encourage you to work as hard as you can.
Sammy said: Working out with someone else helps you to achieve your best, especially if you are competitive!
You want to be the one who loses most weight or improves your heart rate or blood pressure to the greatest extent. You dont want to be the weakest link.
One study asked participants perform a series of planks both alone and with a partner (whose performance was manipulated to always be better than the participants).
"They found was that working with a partner produced more motivation that allowed the participants to hold their planks for a longer period of time.
"In fact, those who exercised with a more-capable partner increased their plank time by 24 percent."
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If youre looking to shed those extra quarantine pounds, working out with others is the way to speed up the process.
Sammy explained: Working out with others can help you get fitter/lose more weight than working out on your own.
Try to include friends in your work-outs. If you live on your own you should consider working out with friends online who are setting out to achieve similar goals or are already on the road to achieving fitness/weight loss goals.
Working out with people who could help you to achieve your goals could be instrumental in helping you get fitter and lose weight. Put simply youll work harder.
This is also important if people in your household are not fit, but like you, want to do better.
If you work out with people on great work-outs, research shows that many of us do gravitate towards these people.
Unsurprisingly, working out with your loved ones can boost your mood.
Sammy said: Working out with others can improve mental health. It is fun and youll have less reason to quit!
Any great work out causes release of endorphins, which are mood boosting chemicals.
However, working out with others can cause further increase in endorphins as you motivate each other and work together.
Working out together will likely also make you laugh more and smile more so improving mental health and relationships with people you work out with.
Fancy working out with someone else but not sure what moves to try?
Here are five exercise to do with a partner. And dont forget, always warm-up and cool down before any exercise.
Sammy said: Push-ups dont take up much space so you can do them together on the floor in a small living room.
If space is a problem, take it in turns and cheer each other on!
If you are beginners start in the kitchen, stand next to each other and push at kitchen counter height.
Then work your way to a desk, a chair, the floor with bent knees, and, finally, the floor on your toes. You can also do press-ups on the stairs.
If you want to work on those glutes, you should squat in a pair.
Sammy explained: Squats are a great move to do together and in time with each other, maybe even to some favourite music at the pace for what you want to achieve.
The knee should remain over the ankle as much as possible.
Think of how you sit down in a chair, only the chair's not there start by working on getting in and out of a real chair properly.
You will have calves of steel if you try this one with your buddy.
Sammy said: Go up and down on your tip toes either on one leg or both legs.
Try two sets of 15 repetitions with a 15 second rest period.
Calf raisers are helpful for strengthening your calves and Achilles tendons if you jog /run.
Remind each other to repeat this twice or three times a day.
Bridging can assist with hip stability and lower back niggles.
Sammy said: With this exercise, you can take it in turns, making sure that whoever is not doing the exercise, they over-see the other person making sure they are doing this exercise correctly.
So, lying on your back, again this can be done in a small room, bend your knees.
Then aim to lift your hips and bottom off the ground with your heels dug into the ground.
For those of you who are a little more advanced in strength, lift up one leg half-way into the air.
The challenge is to do two sets of 10-15 repetitions, progressing as you become stronger and more advanced.
Take it in turns to sprint on the stairs. Sprint up the stairs as fast you can.Sammy warned: If you are a beginner take care not to fall so hold the handrail.
She said: Rest at the bottom while your partner repeats the exercise.Both of you repeat this exercise 5/6 times in fast succession to get some high intensity exercise.
Continued here:
Partner workout ideas: is it better to workout with a partner? Why? - Express
