Exercising with a friend or in a group can make working out more enjoyable and more productive. Classes like Yoga, Cardio Kick Boxing, Zumba or Pilates are a great way to change your workout routine. Being in a group fitness class can help take your mind off the actuall difficult exercises and allow you to focus on the instructors persona and style. The class can also give you great new exercises and routines for your own workout as well. For example a different way to do lunges, or an interesting sit-up that the instructor taught.
If you cannot take a class another great idea would be to find a friend for a workout at the park, your back yard, the park district, or local gym. A great fitness tool is a medicine ball and you can do many exercises with a partner with it including partner sit-ups. Basically you would pass the ball back and forth when you sit up for added resistance and coordination. If you do not have a medicine ball you can do leg throw-downs. One person lays on the ground with their legs in the straight upwards position and the other stands and pushes the partners legs down while they resist and not letting their legs hit the ground before they bring them back up.
You and a friend can also have mini contests. For example, who can do the most push-ups for one is a simple yet beneficial competition you can have between workout partners. Any competition for more reps or higher weight is always a good thing. A radio or MP3 player and dock to add music is always fun and you can even incorporate it into your workout as well. For example, every time the chorus comes on or a new song starts do a specific movement like jumping jacks for a change and to keep the rhythm of the workout going. Finally, be creative and motivate each other. Nothing gets you going as encouragement from a workout partner
