If you are the type of person to find any reason not to work out, or things often come up that are 'more important' than exercising, you may want to try the buddy system.  Since a young age our parents and mentors were always telling us to use the buddy system..the same applies to working out!  Not only will the buddy system help you to stay motivated to exercise, it will also help you work harder and is a great way to insure safety while working out.  You may be asking yourself how the buddy system, or partner exercise  help keep me motivated, working harder , and insure my safety...the answers may actually surprise you.

Friends who worked out separately had a 43% dropout rate, while those who went to the gym together had only a 6.3% dropout rate!!

That's a difference of 36.7 percent!! So by simply having a workout partner you are more likely stick with it and make fitness a lifestyle!  That's a pretty significant number if you think about it.  If something that you wanted  was marked down 36.7 percent, most of us wouldn't think twice about buying it..so why would you think twice about working out with a partner or group?  Still not convinced?  That's ok!  Think about this though..

A study found that women who exercise with friends burn around 236 calories, compared to the 195 calories burned during a solo session.

Those of us who know how hard it is to burn a single calorie can attest to the fact that this is a pretty significant increase in calories burned.  The reasons why more calories are burned can vary..friendly competition, being sidetracked from feeling like you are working out, motivation etc. are all reasons why partner workouts are more beneficial.  So your still wondering where safety comes into play?  Having a partner can increase your safety by having someone there in case something goes wrong while working out i.e overwork yourself, feel light headed, heat exhaustion, personal injury etc.  You never know how your body will react to different workouts and intensity levels, so its always a good idea to have someone there in case something happens.  Another safety benefit is having a spotter while working out, and someone that can help keep your exercise form up to par.  The list goes on for safety benefits, and it is the most important reason to have a workout partner!

Good workout partner exercises:

Partner ball slams: Stand a few feet apart with one heavy medicine ball. The first person slams it down in the middle, while your partner catches it on the rebound. Repeat slamming the ball back & fourth.

Sit up pass: Both of you lay in a sit-up position with your feet together, with one of you holding a medicine ball to start. As you both do your sit ups, pass the medicine ball back and forth at the top of each sit up.

Partner plank push ups: One partner holds a plank while the other does push ups. When one person cannot continue any longer, switch exercises and repeat.

Race: For your cardio session, turn it in to a friendly race. Keyword friendly.

Wall sits: Stand back-to-back and bend the knees to a 90 degree angle. Use each other’s backs as the “wall” to support each other during your wall sits.