CUPIDS CORE: TOTAL GYM PARTNER WORKOUT

Love is in the air, and what better way to celebrate Valentines Day than by breaking a sweat together! Partner workouts not only add an element of fun and excitement to your fitness routine, but they also strengthen the bond between you and your significant other. It’s the perfect recipe for a heart-pounding workout to heat up your Valentine’s Day!

Benefits of Partner Workouts:

• Motivation Boost: Partner workouts provide built-in accountability and motivation, making it easier to stick to your fitness goals.

• Improved Communication: Partner exercises require coordination and communication, fostering teamwork and understanding.

• Increased Intimacy: Sharing a workout can deepen emotional connections and enhance intimacy between partners.

• Fun and Flirty Laughter: Partner workouts inject a sense of playfulness and joy into your workout sessions, making fitness feel more like a shared adventure than a chore.

Cupids Core Partner Workout

The Cupids Core workout is a dynamic and playful Total Gym partner workout designed to heat up your workout and maybe add a spark of romance to your Valentine’s Day celebration!

To kickstart this core workout, you will perform a warm-up together with “partner floor exercises” that not only strengthen and condition your muscles, but also sets the tone to coordinate movement, balance, stability, and communication with each other.

Proceeding the warm-up, Partner A will perform the exercises on the Total Gym first, while Partner B performs a similar movement simultaneously on the floor. Each exercise is performed for 45 seconds, with a 15 second rest, which is just enough time to quickly switch roles and repeat. Cycle through all the exercises until completed. You can choose to repeat for as many rounds as your time permits!

Now grab your partner and lets drop it like it hot!

Warm-up Directions: Perform each exercises for 10-20 reps each side. Once your body’s feel warmed-up, move directly into the Core Workout.

1. Tandem Squat Rotations

• Stand facing each other about an arms length distance apart with feet hip width stance.

• Grab onto each others forearms.

• Simultaneously lower into a squat, keeping your backs straight and chest lifted.

• At the lowest part of the squat, coordinate the rhythm with your partner to release the grip on one side and rotate the torso away from each other. (If you have the strength and flexibility, try to tap the floor with the rotating hand.)

• Simultaneously return back to connecting with your partner to the forearm grip, stand, and repeat the opposite direction.

2. Standing Rotations

• Stand back to back in a ready stance (feet grounded, knees slightly bent, core engaged) with about a foot of space in between.

• Maintaining a ready stance, begin to rotate torsos towards on side to high five outside hand.

• Continue this rotating, twist motion by alternating sides.

3. Plank Taps:

• Assume a plank position facing each other, with enough space to high five (tap hands).

• Modify with knees on floor. Advanced is with legs extended to a full plank.

• Hold the plank while alternating high fives with your partner, engage and stabilize your core muscles for added intensity and coordination.

Cupids Core Circuit Directions: Partner A is on the TG first, while Partner B performs the exercises on the floor. Set the timer for 5 minutes. Perform the exercises in a continuous manor and alternate roles after each set.

Equipment & Set Up: low Total Gym incline, timer APP, mat, your partner

1. Pike Up & Forearm Rainbow

A: Pike Up

• Assume an elongated plank position facing the vertical column with hands on the GB and feet positioned on the floor.

• Keep the core engaged and the spine elongated from the head to heels.

• Initiate the movement from the hips as they pike upward to form a “V” position. Slowly return to the plank and repeat the motion slowly with control.

• Advanced: Face away from the vertical column with hands placed on the floor and feet on the GB. Perform the same movement from this inverted position by piking the hips upward to form a “V”.

B: Forearm Rainbow

• Assume a forearm plank position on the floor next to your partner.

• Maintain the forearm plank while arcing the hips from one side to the other in a “rainbow” manor.

• Move slowly with precision to keep your form on point and to target the oblique muscles.

• Plank Options: Modify with knees down, advance with legs extended.

*CONNECT CABLE*

2. Pullover Crunch & Toe Touch Teaser

A: Pullover Crunch

• Lie supine on the GB while holding a cable in each hand. Knees are bent with feet positioned on the GB to start.

• Extend arms out from chest. Simultaneously lower arms towards GB while lifting the upper body into a crunch. Hold for a moment, then return to the starting position to repeat.

• Advance: Elevate feet by bending knees to chest (90 degree knees) or extend legs while keeping lower back imprinting onto the GB.

B: Toe Touch Teaser

• Lie supine on the floor with knees bent, feet on floor, and arms extended out from chest.

• Roll up through the spine as your upper and lower body meet at the top range of motion aiming to form a V position by balancing on the sits bones.

• Slowly, with core control, roll back through the spine to repeat the motion.

• Options: Modified, keep feet on floor and use legs to assist the rollup. Intermediate, roll up with bent knees. Advanced, roll up with straight legs.

3. Double Torso Rotation (alternate + together)

**Both Partners on the Total Gym**

• Since this exercise is performed together on your TG, it requires a lot of coordination, communication, and precise timing with your partner. Please take your time to set up appropriately.

• Set Up: Each partner will stand to one side of the glide board (GB) facing AWAY from each other with the corresponding cable placed in the hand closest to the vertical column.

• Anchor down in reverse: Keep your back facing the GB, hold onto the cable closest to the vertical column, and anchor down with both hands onto the glide board into a kneeling position. (Seated can work, but will have less range of motion).

• NOTE: I advise the shorter partner mounts the GB first, positioning to the top of the GB. The taller partner will then anchor down to the GB second, positioning to the bottom of the GB.

• Execution: Partner A will rotate away from vertical column first, followed by Parter B. Communicate with your partner so that the exercise move smoothly.

• Challenge: For the finally 15 seconds, simultaneously rotate together!

• Switch sides (using the same set up) to repeat in the opposite direction.

Be sure to check out the video to see a demonstration of how the Cupids Core exercises are performed on your Total Gym.

This playful and challenging Cupids Core workout will turn your Valentine’s Day into a celebration of love, laughter, and fitness while you and your significant other move together. So grab your partner and get ready to sweat, smile, and strengthen your bond like never before!

Love Always,

Maria

Let’s Connect!

www.mariasollonfitness.com

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