Keeping couples fit

By Daisy Carrington, amNewYork Deputy Features Editor
dcarrington@am-ny.com

February 6, 2008

Ball Twists demonstrated by Kristelle Goulias and Iliya Isakov, trainers at ValFittness in Carroll Gardens (Jefferson Siegel / February 5, 2008)

February is the month we bow down to our relationships. We are supposed to be thankful for the cuddling, the commitment and the fact that Saturdays have gone from meat-market to Monopoly night.

Don't get me wrong, I am thankful for all those things. I am not, however, thankful for the 10 extra pounds that relationships incur.

"Most Americans who are involved in a serious relationship spend a lot of their leisure time going out to restaurants and eating," says Iliya Isakov, a trainer at ValFitness Training in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn.

Isakov and fellow trainer Kristelle Goulias have devised the following couples workout to get you and your loved one motivated to shed some pounds.

1. Ball twists

Sit back to back on adjoining mats, keeping your backs straight. Hold an 8-pound medicine ball at chest level, and twist your torso to pass the ball to your partner. Your partner should twist his or her abdomen to receive the ball. Pass the ball back and forth in this manner for one minute.

2. Leg lifts

Lie down on a mat with your arms over your head and your legs straight. Have your partner stand over your head so that he or she faces your legs. You can grab your partner's ankles for added support. As you kick your legs upward, your partner should grab them, then release them. Keep your legs straight as you lower them, and to try not to touch the floor with your feet. Do three sets of 15 to 30 reps, then switch, standing over your partner while he or she does the exercise.

3. Dual bicycle kicks

Sit on a mat with your feet straight out in front of you and your arms supporting your weight behind you. Have your partner assume the same position in front of you, so the soles of your feet touch. Lift your legs at the same time as your partner, and perform a bicycle motion in unison. Perform two to three sets of 15 to 30 reps or more if you can handle it.