Page 6 - Healthbeat Sept 2016

fast fitness BUDDY UP!
TWO-PERSON EXERCISES TEAM FUN,
FRIENDSHIP FOR AN EFFECTIVE WORKOUT WITH AMY JACOBSEN, CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER
Now that the kids have been back in school for a few weeks, we’re all getting back in the swing of things — and back to a regular routine of getting the kids to school and our- selves to work. Scheduling a workout around all the busyness that goes hand in hand with the school year can be tough. What better way to hold yourself accountable (and see results) than by working out with a friend? Here’s a great workout routine for you and a buddy. It’s different, it can be done anywhere and without any special equipment, AND you’re more likely stick with it if you’re meeting a buddy.
• Warm up with Mirror Jumping Jacks. Stand facing each other, and do 50 jumping jacks, keeping pace with each other — and try not to laugh at each other!
• Face-to-Face Lunges: Stand facing each other, palms to palms, and perform alternating reverse lunges without breaking hand contact (press against each other’s hands to provide an extra stability challenge. Perform 20 lunges on each leg.
• Partner Pushups: Get into a pushup position, head
to head and about a foot apart (no head-butting; you’re not billy goats). Moving in unison, do a pushup; then slap your buddy’s right hand. Repeat, slapping left hands. Repeat, performing 20 total pushups.
• Partner Plank: Face one another, with one partner in a pushup position with arms fully extended and holding strong, and the other partner in a standing position with hands on the other person’s shoulders and leaning into a pushup position. Hold this for 30 seconds; then switch places and repeat. The buddy on the bottom has the toughest challenge.
• Sprint It Out: Finish up with a race. Choose a hill, a path, a driveway or other finishing point, and race each other, either walk- ing or running. Walk together back to the starting point (this’ll give you a chance to catch your breath); repeat 20 times.
Amy Jacobsen is an American Council on Exercise-certified personal trainer and an Aerobics and Fitness Association of America-certified group exercise instructor, and manager of Little Rock’s Downtown Athletic Club. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in kinesiology and has nearly two decades of experience as a personal trainer.
6 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016 // HEALTHBEAT // ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE