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July 29, 2005 7:37 AM

I'm trying to find exercises that actively involve two people.

I don't mean "you spot me while I lift", I'm more refering to movements and activities engaging both people. i.e. the russian twist on this page. If they could have a "fun" element to them, that would be even better. I know tennis and other sports would count, but I'm looking for at home type exercise activities. Thanks!

posted by striker to health & fitness (23 comments total)

Sex.
posted by hamster at 7:47 AM on July 29, 2005

A Google search for "medicine ball" partner will find you a bunch, if you have a medicine ball.
posted by grouse at 7:54 AM on July 29, 2005

Side of a house and a handball makes for a complete workout. If you've got a gym membership, I like raquetball better, but you did specify "at home type".
posted by thanotopsis at 8:00 AM on July 29, 2005

I know of two good ab exercises that involve two people.

The first, called "Throwdowns", involves the following:

Person A lies on the ground, with their legs together. Person B stands over Person A, facing A's feet. B's feet are placed a fingerwidth wide of A's hips. A, holding on to B's ankles, brings his legs up, knees locked and toes pointed, up to B's chest. B grabs A's ankles, and the exercising begins; B is trying to throw A's legs forward and down with enough force to make A's feet hit the ground, while A is trying to keep his abs and legs so tight that not only do they not move at all when B throws them down, but that he actually kicks B in the chest. It is very important that A keeps his legs locked and together, with toes pointed, the entire time. These things are brutal. Start with 20 a piece.

The other, called "Armadillos," goes like this:

Person A lies on the ground. Person B squats at A's feet, facing A. B places his hands on A's knees, and applies steady pressure as A slowly pulls his knees to his chest. A then places his hands behind his head and curls his body up so that his elbows are touching his knees and his shoulders are an inch or two off the ground. After allowing A to remain curled up like this for a second or two, B pulls A's still-bent knees slowly towards him, so that A, with abs tightly tensed, sits up. It's important for B to wait a second or two after A curls before pulling him up; otherwise, A will try to use his curling momentum to help him sit up, which makes it far too easy.

A lot of people, even very fit ones, can't even do one of these bad boys. Try starting with sets of 5 a piece.

Good luck!
posted by saladin at 8:00 AM on July 29, 2005

Boxing?
posted by the cuban at 8:08 AM on July 29, 2005

Tandem Bicycling?
posted by trbrts at 8:16 AM on July 29, 2005

Tennis? Racquetball? Catch? Frisbee? Frisbee Golf? Regular Golf? Piggyback Rides?
posted by Pollomacho at 8:39 AM on July 29, 2005

I'd like to clarify that I am looking for gym-related exercises. At home-indoors, or at a gym fitness exercises. Saladin and grouse, thanks.
posted by striker at 8:47 AM on July 29, 2005

Juggling. Buy some weighted juggling balls and learn to do "passes".
posted by oh pollo! at 9:09 AM on July 29, 2005

the people sit facing each other with their legs slightly apart, holding hands and take turns leaning back as far as possible - ideally touching the ground. When its your turn to lean back its sort of like sit ups, and when the other person leans back it stretches your thighs.
posted by leapingsheep at 9:33 AM on July 29, 2005

2nd the sex option.

And not with yourself.
posted by catkins at 9:37 AM on July 29, 2005

I read this as: "I'm trying to find excuses that actively involve two people. I'll save my answer. Carry on.
posted by Mack Twain at 10:31 AM on July 29, 2005

Tandem yoga
posted by mert at 10:32 AM on July 29, 2005

this very question led me into fighting. i like krav maga because it really takes two people to practice right, but, at the lower levels, you don't have to actually beat each other up since it's not designed for competition.

krav at a studio is expensive (and mostly just having another person there to force you not to stop), so i would suggest getting started with the book i linked to. it's the best thing i've seen for beginners, and is fairly cheap to boot.

i've also done muay thai, but i wouldn't suggest it to anyone who doesn't want working out to get in the way of chewing and such.
posted by bryak at 10:37 AM on July 29, 2005

Push hands
posted by filmgeek at 10:39 AM on July 29, 2005

I'll second saladin. Throwdowns are brutally good exercise and you can do them at the park or in the living room. Good stuff! (though, I've never tried to kick my partner in the chest!)
posted by shoepal at 10:50 AM on July 29, 2005

trbrts beat me to it, but we put about 2K miles per year on our tandem. It is the only way we can really ride together, it is fun, and a great workout for both partners.
posted by fixedgear at 11:09 AM on July 29, 2005

medicine balls, definitely.
posted by devilsbrigade at 11:19 AM on July 29, 2005

Many years ago I saw a book that described an exercise system with two people, using a stick about half the size of a broomstick. One person provided resistance while the other did the exercise, both holding onto the stick. For example, one person, on the floor, would do a bench press (stick starting on chest, pushing up), while the other, standing and leaning over, would provide continual resistance as the stick was pushed up, then provide resistance as the stick was lowered back to the first person's chest.

I looked a month or so ago for the book, googling, but didn't find it. I thought it was published by something like West Point Press, but that didn't help. I offer bonus points (I've considered this as a separate AskMe question) to anyone who can provide any kind of pointer to that book, probably published in the late 1980s or early 1990s. Or even the name of the system.
posted by WestCoaster at 1:18 PM on July 29, 2005

A 2-player home DDR setup (dance dance revolution) can be set up for as little as $30.
I know several people who use DDR for fitness and/or weight loss. You can give it a go at an arcade before buying too.

($30 buys two cheap dance mats and USB adaptor (from ebay, including shipping), the USB adaptor is so you can use them on PC instead of playstation, then download the opensource and free DDR-clone "Stepmania")

Alternatively, if you have a playstation, buy the mats and the game for it.
posted by -harlequin- at 8:34 PM on July 29, 2005

just to piggy-back on this question if anyone's still looking - fixedgear and trbrts, would I (5'3") have any luck trying to ride a tandem with my boyfriend (6'6")? I've never seen one close up, but like the idea in theory.
posted by altolinguistic at 4:19 AM on July 30, 2005

Yeah, no problen. There was a guy on my ride today that was about 6'2" with his well under 5' ten year old daughter on a tandem. Cannondale make an XL/XS model which fits captains your BF's size and stokers your size. All you would see is his back, but the view out the side would be like riding in a car or train.
posted by fixedgear at 10:32 AM on July 30, 2005

Ballroom dance or contra dancing. Lots of fun, if you're inclined.
posted by plinth at 3:00 PM on July 30, 2005