Partner Training – Week 5

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Partner Training – Week 5 Medicine Ball Training with your partner for active, quality time!

Medicine Balls are a fabulous tool for working out with a partner. There are a ton of exercises you can do together to condition your entire body. They come in sizes from 2 pounds to much heavier.  If you both have average strength, a 6 pound ball is a good starting point. To purchase you own medicine ball(s), visit your local sporting goods retailer.

Each week over the next few weeks, I will provide you with three mini exercise circuits that you can do together.  As you increase your fitness level, you can begin combining circuits for longer and more challenging workouts. 

Partner Floor Slams:

Start by standing upright and holding the medicine ball over your head.  Keep your abdominals contracted throughout the entire exercise while you squat and throw the ball to the floor so that it bounces up towards your partner. Your partner catches the ball and quickly throws it back to you.  Be sure you both maintain good posture. Continue for 60-120 seconds.

1 Leg Partner Chest Pass:

Both you and your partner stand facing each other balancing on one leg. Keep your abdominals contracted, and your body erect and stable. Pass the ball back and forth to each other using a basketball chest pass. Continue for 30-60 seconds on each leg.

Squat + Overhead Press Throw to Partner:

Start by standing 5-6 feet away from your partner. Hold the medicine ball at chest level and then using an overhead press, toss the ball to your partner. Stay square to your partner. When they catch, they should catch the ball in an overhead position. Be sure to keep your abdominals contracted, your chest out and up and your shoulders back and down.  Continue for 30-90 seconds.

Partner Situps:

You and your partner lie on your backs feet to feet with about a foot distance between each other.  Have your knees extended as far as you can while still keeping your low backs in contact with the floor.  Both of you slowly crunch up, lifting one vertebra at a time off the floor. At about 30 degrees upwards, you’ll reach a “sticking point’ where you’ll feel like you’ve hit a brick wall.  At this point, it’s important to be patient and muscle through, using your abdominals to overcome the resistance.  Don’t bounce or add momentum with your upper body and don’t lift your feet off the floor.  Once you’ve almost reached a fully upright, seated position, throw the ball to your partner who will catch the ball while maintaining perfect, stable posture.  Now both of you lower down to the starting position.  Curl back up and now you catch the ball.  Continue for 30-90 seconds.  This is a more advanced exercise so if one of you can’t curl up with good form, try the exercise on an inclined bench so you can perform the movement better or skip the exercise.

Sherri McMillan, M.Sc. has been inspiring the world to adopt a fitness lifestyle for 25 years and has received numerous industry awards including International Personal Trainer and Fitness Presenter of the Year. She is the author of five books including “Go For Fit – the Winning Way to Fat Loss” and “Fit over Forty” and is the featured presenter in various fitness DVDs.  She is the owner of Northwest Personal Training in downtown Vancouver and can be seen running, hiking or cycling with her two children, Brianna and Jackson.  She can be reached at www.nwPersonalTraining.com or www.ShapeupwithSherri.com Note:  As an avid Columbian reader, you can redeem a 2 week pass at her world-class training studio to help get you started.  Contact 360.574.7292 for more details. 

Join us for the Couve Clover Run – 3, 7 & 10 miles March 20 @ 9:00am! Celebrate in your festive green while running or walking along an extremely fast and scenic course to support local charities