5 Partner Workout Challenges to Try at Home

Having a workout partner can be a great motivator and make your fitness routine more fun. It can also add a competitive element, pushing you to work harder and achieve more. Add in a structured, challenging workout and you’ve got the perfect recipe for a killer workout session. Here are five partner workout challenges you can try at home with your fitness buddy.

What Are Partner Workout Challenges?

Partner workout challenges are when two people perform a series of exercises together, usually in a timed or competitive format. These challenges can range from simple body weight exercises to more complex and intense movements using equipment such as resistance bands or medicine balls. The idea is to push each other to work harder and reach new fitness goals while having fun together.

Are There Any Benefits of Partner Workout Challenges?

There are many benefits to incorporating partner workout challenges into your fitness routine:

You Get a Motivational Boost

Exercising with a partner can significantly enhance your motivation levels. When you have someone to encourage you, you’re more likely to stick with your fitness regimen. This mutual accountability helps maintain consistency, which is essential for achieving long-term health and well-being.

It Enhances Your Performance

Having a workout partner introduces a friendly competition, which can lead you to perform at your best. Studies have shown that individuals often push themselves harder in a competitive setting (1), which translates into improved cardiovascular health, increased muscle strength, and better endurance over time.

You Build a Stronger Bond

Sharing workout sessions with a friend or loved one can deepen your relationship. This shared experience can potentially increase communication and trust, contributing positively to both mental health and social well-being. The camaraderie and laughter during workouts make the sessions enjoyable, reducing stress, and enhancing overall happiness.

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It Provides Variety and Fun

Partner workout challenges introduce an element of play into fitness routines, preventing workouts from becoming monotonous. By trying new exercises and competitions, you keep things interesting and engage different muscle groups, which promotes better overall physical health.

You Improve Your Mental Health

Regular physical activity reduces anxiety and enhances mood and doing it with a partner can amplify these effects. Social interaction, coupled with the endorphin boost from exercise, can decrease symptoms of depression and increase self-esteem, fostering a positive mental state (2).

Read more: 6 Fitness Challenges To Try Before 2024 Ends

What Makes Partner Workout Challenges Effective?

For partner workout challenges to be effective, they must include the following elements:

Clear Goals and Structure

Having a clear goal or objective for the challenge helps keep both partners focused and motivated. It’s essential to plan out the exercises and structure them in a way that makes them challenging but achievable.

Effective Communication

Communication is the key in any partnership, including workout buddies. Good communication ensures both partners are on the same page and working toward the same goal. It also allows for adjustments or modifications if needed.

Mutual Support and Encouragement

Workout partners should motivate and support each other throughout the challenge. Celebrating achievements, no matter how small, can help keep motivation levels high and make the experience more enjoyable.

Variety and Progression

To avoid getting stuck in a plateau, it’s important to incorporate variety and progression into partner workout challenges. This can include changing up exercises or increasing the difficulty as both partners improve their fitness levels.

What Are the Best Exercises for Partner Challenges?

The best exercises for partner challenges can vary based on individual abilities and goals. However, some important factors to consider when choosing exercises are:

• You should be familiar with the exercise and comfortable performing it with proper form. The challenge is not necessarily for learning new exercises, but for pushing your limits with familiar movements.
• It should also be scalable, meaning that it can be modified to accommodate different fitness levels.
• Safety is crucial. Choose exercises that have a low risk of injury and you know you can perform with correct form throughout the challenge.
• Consider how to regress (make easier) or progress (make harder) each exercise to cater to different fitness levels and abilities.
• Consider your overall routines and goals. Choose exercises that complement your regular workouts or focus on specific areas you want to improve.
• Be wary of over-training. Based on the intensity of the challenge, you need to make sure to give your body enough rest and recovery time between challenges or workouts.
• Partner exercises should promote teamwork, communication, and motivation. Choose exercises that require coordination, cooperation, and support from your partner for a more enjoyable experience.

Read more: 6 Workout Challenges to Hop On Before The Year Ends

What Types of Partner Workout Challenges Can You Try?

Partner workout challenges range from simple routines to more complex and intense exercises. The idea is to choose a mutual fitness goal, such as completing a specific number of reps or achieving a certain time for a given exercise, and working together to reach it. Here are five partner workout challenges you can try at home:

1. “I Go, You Go” Push-Up Challenge

In this challenge, one partner performs five push-ups while the other holds a plank position. After completing the push-ups, they switch positions, and the plank holder now does five push-ups while the other holds a plank. This continues for two minutes, with each partner aiming to complete as many rounds as possible.

Goal of the challenge: To complete as many rounds as possible in two  minutes. Performing this challenge regularly can increase upper body strength and core stability.

Steps to follow for the challenge exercises:

1. Partner A performs five push-ups while Partner B holds a plank position.
2. After completing the push-ups, they switch positions – Partner B now does five push-ups while Partner A holds a plank.
3. Continue switching positions for two minutes with the aim of completing as many rounds as possible.
4. Remember to maintain proper form throughout the exercise to avoid injury and maximize effectiveness.

How to perform a standard push-up:

1. Start in a high plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart and your arms extended.
2. Lower your body toward the ground by bending your elbows until your chest nearly touches the floor.
3. Push back up to the starting position.
4. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

How to perform a plank:

1. Start in a high plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart and your arms extended.
2. Begin bending your elbows and lower yourself down onto your forearms
3. Engage your core muscles by squeezing your abs and glutes.
4. Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels.
5. Hold the position for as long as you can without losing proper form.

Workout regression/progression options:

• Regression: Instead of performing full push-ups, partners can do knee push-ups to make the exercise more manageable.
• Progression: Partners can increase the number of push-ups per round or hold the plank position for a longer duration to make the challenge more difficult.

2. Partner Medicine Ball Sit-Ups

For this challenge, partners sit facing each other with their knees bent and feet on the ground. They pass a medicine ball back and forth while performing a sit-up with each exchange.

Goal of the challenge: To complete as many sit-ups as possible in two minutes. This exercise targets the core muscles and can help improve strength and coordination.

Steps to follow for the challenge exercises:

1. Sit facing your partner with your knees bent, feet on the ground, and a medicine ball between you.
2. Perform a sit-up and reach toward your partner to hand them the medicine ball.
3. As you return to the starting position, your partner should perform a sit-up and reach toward you to pass the ball back.
4. Continue passing the ball back and forth for two minutes with the aim of completing as many sit-ups as possible.
5. Remember to keep your core engaged throughout the exercise and use proper form to prevent injury.

How to perform a standard sit-up:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet on the ground, and hands behind your head or crossed over your chest.
2. Engage your core muscles by squeezing your abs.
3. Hold this squeeze and then use your abdominal muscles to lift your upper body off the ground toward your thighs.
4. Keep a slow and controlled movement as you return to the starting position.
5. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Workout regression/progression options:

• Regression: Instead of using a medicine ball, partners can use a lighter object or no weight at all to make the exercise easier. They could “high five” at the top of the sit-up instead of doing the pass.
• Progression: Partners can increase the weight of the medicine ball,  perform more sit-ups in each round, or try to increase the speed of their passes to make the challenge more difficult.

3. Partner Squat and Jump Challenge

This challenge involves synchronized movements to build lower-body strength and coordination. Partners will squat together and jump simultaneously, increasing cardiovascular endurance as well.

Goal of the challenge: Complete as many squat-and-jump repetitions as possible in three  minutes, improving leg strength and aerobic capacity.

Steps to follow for the challenge exercises:

1. Stand facing your partner with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Perform a squat together by bending your knees and lowering your hips until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
3. At the bottom of the squat, count to three and jump upward simultaneously, reaching for the sky.
4. Land softly and immediately go into the next squat.
5. Continue squatting and jumping for three minutes.

How to perform a standard squat:

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, keeping your chest up.
2. Engage your core and push your hips back as if sitting on a chair.
3. Bend your knees to lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
4. Push through your heels to return to a standing position.

Workout regression/progression options:

• Regression: Partners can perform body weight squats without the jump for lower intensity.
• Progression: Increase the duration of the challenge or add light weights for added difficulty.

4. Alternating Lunge Pass with Resistance Band

This exercise challenges partners to maintain balance and strength while exchanging a resistance band, emphasizing lower body stability.

Goal of the challenge: Maintain stability and complete as many alternating lunges while passing the band in two minutes.

Steps to follow for the challenge exercises:

1. Stand facing your partner, each holding one end of a resistance band.
2. Perform a forward lunge with your right leg while giving slight resistance with the band.
3. Step back to the starting position.
4. Your partner mirrors your movement and lunges forward with their right leg.
5. Continue alternating lunges for two  minutes.

How to perform a standard lunge:

1. Stand upright, feet together.
2. Step forward with your right foot and lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the floor.
3. Push back to the starting position with the heel of your front foot.
4. Repeat on the opposite leg.

Workout regression/progression options:

• Regression: Use a lighter resistance band or no band at all for an easier workout.
• Progression: Partners can increase the strength of the band or add a balance challenge by using a medicine ball.

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5. High Plank High-Five Challenge

This challenge focuses on core stability and shoulder strength while adding an element of coordination and fun with partner high-fives.

Goal of the challenge: Hold a high plank and give as many high-fives with light shifting of weight for two minutes, improving stability and core endurance.

Steps to follow for the challenge exercises:

1. Start in a high plank position, facing your partner at arm’s length.
2. Engage your core and shoulders to stabilize your plank.
3. Lift your right hand off the ground and reach across to give your partner a high-five.
4. Return your hand to the ground and repeat with your left hand.
5. Continue high-fiving alternately for three minutes.

How to perform a high plank high-five:

1. Start in a high plank with your elbows extended and your hands directly below your shoulders.
2. Maintain a strong core to prevent hip rotation.
3. Lift one hand off the ground to lightly tap your partner’s hand.
4. Keep your movements controlled to maintain balance.

Workout regression/progression options:

• Regression: Perform the plank on your knees to reduce the intensity.
• Progression: Increase challenge duration or try to complete this in a traditional plank position. When doing a traditional plank for this, make sure to keep the proper form and engage your core throughout the movement. The action of the high-five will make the plank much more challenging and work your balance even further.

Are Partner Workouts Suitable for All Fitness Levels?

Partner workouts can be suitable for all fitness levels, but it’s important to choose exercises and challenges that match the abilities of both partners. Many partner workouts offer variations or modifications to increase or decrease the intensity, which allows beginners to start with simpler movements and more advanced individuals to take on more challenging versions. Communication between partners is the key to ensuring both people are comfortable and safe during the workout.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I do partner workouts at home?

Yes, partner workouts can easily be done at home using minimal equipment or just body weight exercises. They are adaptable to various spaces and can include exercises such as squats, lunges, and push-ups.

• Can beginners try partner workout challenges?

Absolutely, beginners can try partner workout challenges. These workouts can be modified to suit different fitness levels, which allows beginners to start with easier variations and gradually increase the intensity as they build strength and confidence.

• How long should a partner workout challenge last?

A partner workout challenge typically lasts between 20 and 45 minutes, depending on the intensity and the fitness levels of the participants. It’s important to include warm-up and cool-down periods to ensure a safe and effective workout. These workouts are designed so you do multiple rounds and include rest periods between each round. 

• How do partner workout challenges boost motivation?

Partner workout challenges boost motivation by fostering accountability, support, and friendly competition. Exercising with a partner can make workouts more enjoyable, encouraging consistency and pushing both participants to perform their best (3).

The Bottom Lines

Partner workout challenges are a great way to have fun and stay motivated while increasing the potential to improve strength, coordination, and cardiovascular endurance. 

You should consider your individual fitness levels and choose regression or progression options accordingly to make the most out of these challenges. Remember to maintain proper form and communicate with your partner for a safe and enjoyable workout experience.