Pilates Exercises for Couples

Working out as a couple helps you stick to your exercise routine because you have a partner who wants you to meet your fitness goals. You and your mate get healthy together and strengthen your bond by spending time together and doing an activity that interests both of you. Pilates exercises for couples encourage you and your partner to tone your bodies and strengthen core muscles. Many of these exercises use resistance bands to mimic Pilates reformer machines. Schedule a Pilates workout two or three times a week.

  1. Do Roll Up

    • Perform the Pilates roll up as a couple. Place two exercise mats end to end. Lie on the mat feet touching. Extend arms above the head. Squeeze legs together and raise chin toward the chest. Inhale as you both slowly bring your bodies off the floor. Keep head down and stretch forward, trying to touch fingertips. Exhale and slowly roll back until it's flat on the floor. Extend arms over head. Perform this exercise move five to 10 times. This exercise tightens abdominal muscles and increases flexibility.

    Do Spine Stretch

    • Sit up straight with arms and legs extended to do spine stretch forward. For this Pilates exercise, couples face one another with legs spread about shoulder-width apart. Inhale and sit up straight. Exhale and reach forward by slowly bending the head, neck and shoulders. Suck in the naval toward the spine as if leaning over a Swiss exercise ball. See if you can touch fingertips. Inhale and hold this position for one count. Exhale and suck in abdominal muscles deeper. Inhale and roll up to seated position. Repeat for eight repetitions. This exercise works the lower back and abdominal muscles.

    Work Oblique Muscles

    • Use two resistance bands to work your oblique muscles. Face one another for this Pilates couples exercise. Sit up straight on the floor with knees bent and feet touching. Keep knees and thighs tightened. Pull resistance band to desired tension. Inhale and tighten the abdominal muscles. Exhale and rock back while twisting the rib cage and bending the arm back. Turn head in the same direction as the bent arm. Inhale again. Exhale and return the body to an upright position. Repeat on opposite sides of your bodies. Do eight to 10 repetitions of this exercise. This exercise works the abdominal muscles, lower back, and shoulders and arms.

    Do Standing Push-ups

    • Work the check by doing standing push-up exercises as a couple. Use two resistance bands. Stand back to back and hold a resistance band in each hand. Your right and your partner's left hand use the same band. Tighten bands until you both have enough tension. Raise arms to chest level. Inhale. Exhale and slowly press arms forward as if you are doing a chest press. Hold for a few seconds. Inhale again. Exhale and return arms to the body. Do eight to 10 repetitions of this exercise.