Work it Out Wednesday: Fitness Fit for Two

by Lisa Bruno

Far too often couples use each other as an excuse for why they don’t eat well, or are not working out consistently. It’s easy to say, “Oh, well we like to eat out a lot,” or “We never see each other on the weekdays so if I went to gym, we wouldn’t have quality time together until the weekend.” The truth is, there is strength in numbers and working out together can be the perfect bonding moment, and keep you motivated to work out consistently. In a study, from the Department of Kinesiology at Indiana University, researchers surveyed married couples who joined gyms together and found that those who worked out separately had a 43 percent dropout rate over the course of a year. Those who went to the gym together, regardless of whether they focused on the same type of exercise, had only a 6.3 percent dropout rate¹. There’s your proof, and now here’s some ways to get moving together, and Work it Out.

Hoboken, especially in the warmer months from April through October, have a variety of outdoor space that you can utilize as your own personal fitness space. Did you have any idea in this one square mile, we have 20 parks?! That means there is an abundance of grass, car-free paths, and more that you canutilize for a little Work it Outdoors. Grab your partner and try this quick, full body workout together.

Fair warning: It is not a “walk in the park” type of workout!

Burpee Buddy Workout: 30-minutes

All you need is a watch or a timer and your body!

Read this for perfect burpee form

5-Minute Burpee Burn
1 Minute: Slow Burpees (Stepping one leg at a time back into the plank and up from the plank)
1 Minute: Squats; Squat Jumps (8 reps; 8 reps)
1 Minute: Push Ups (wide grip)
1 Minute: Squat Thrusts (jumping feet from your hands to a plank and back up)
1 Minute: Burpees

Cardio Burst 1 Minute – High knees 1 Minute – Jacks 1 Minute – Lunge Jumps
5-Minute Burpee Burn
1 Minute: Slow Burpees
1 Minute: Push Ups (narrow grip)
1 Minute: Squat Jumps
1 Minute: Forearm Plank Hold
1 Minute: Burpees

Cardio Burst: 1 Minute – High knees 1 Minute – Jacks 1 Minute – Lunge Jumps
5-Minute Burpee Burn
1 Minute: Slow Burpees
1 Minute: Squats; Squat Jumps (8 reps; 8 reps)
1 Minute: Push Ups (narrow grip)
1 Minute: Squat Thrusts (jumping feet from your hands to a plank and back up)
1 Minute: Burpees

Cardio Burst: 1 Minute – High knees 1 Minute – Jacks 1 Minute – Lunge Jumps
Core:
1 Minute – Crunches
1 Minute – Bicycles
1 Minute – Tuck Ups

Cool-down:
15:seconds – Upward Dog
30:seconds – Standing up, straddle and walk hands to the right
30:seconds – Standing up, straddle and walk hands to the left
30:seconds – Right quad stretch
30:seconds – Left quad stretch

Try something new? Hoboken has become a burgeoning fitness mecca with studios popping up in every corner of town. The latest count was somewhere between 18 different fitness studios and gyms that you could sample. That’s a lot of working out and a lot of new fitness adventures. We recommend letting your partner choose one place to try out one week, and then you get to choose. Trying different workouts together is always a fun experience. Over at our studios, we have over 15-classes a day, that vary from Ride, our version of spin, toning, circuit training, and more. You can either purchase a single class or grab a New Client Unlimited Week for $39. Our friends over at Intrepid have a killer new client special where you can come in for a free one-week trial. Research and sample what this town has to offer in fitness, there’s a lot, which means there is something for everyone!

When all else fails, revert back to being a kid again and ride a bike. Hoboken has a bike share program that is getting more popular. Plus the waterfront in Hoboken now connects through to Jersey City and up north into Weehawken and Edgewater. Make it a day trip and hit up a couple cute places like Newport Green, it’ll make you feel like you traveled to the beach.

No matter what you choose to do, do something. It is better to break a sweat together and venture out of your comfort zone when it comes to fitness. You need variety mentally and physically to keep your muscles evolving and your cardiovascular endurance increasing.

Reference:

Wagner G. Strength in Numbers. Experience Life https://experiencelife.com/article/strength-in-numbers-the-importance-of-fitness-buddies/. Accessed on July 22, 2015.

Lisa Bruno is the co-founder and director of business development at Work it Out Fitness Studios<http://www.workitoutgym.com> in Hoboken. Bruno is an avid fitness and nutrition enthusiast (and has been since a very young age). She holds a bachelor’s degree in Food & Nutrition and is currently pursuing her certification as a Registered Dietitian.