We all know that engaging in some physical activities such as going to the gym, jogging, cycling, or taking a Zumba, yoga, and pilates class have plenty of physical and mental health benefits. Moreover, working out regularly with your better half has plenty of advantages in your romantic relationship as well.
To start exercising together with your partner all you need is a strong will, motivation, a certain level of understanding, and an exercise plan. Even though you and your partner might prefer different kinds of workouts, you should compromise and try to find a solution that will work out for both of you.
After all, workout time should be about strengthening your body, being active, having fun, and spending time with your partner. Exactly because of this, there are many reasons why couples who sweat together, stay together.
Different activities you can do as a couple
Some of the ways for couples to exercise together include regular, everyday activities such as going to the gym, for a jog or a walk, cycling, or hitting the swimming pool. These are some elementary activities many people enjoy.
1. Go for a jog or a walk
The first and basic thing everybody can do without any particular equipment is taking a brisk walk or jogging. If you don’t have experience in this area, it would be a good idea to start slow. This means that for starters you can just take a brisk walk with your partner until you gain a routine.
Then, slowly upgrade it to jogging. Don’t give yourselves a goal that’s impossible to reach. Start from a few kilometers and increase the kilometers eventually as you get the condition. It’s important to go at the same pace, even though that means one person might have to make some adjustments.
2. Try cycling
Another enjoyable and fun, physically engaging activity is cycling. It is a perfect workout for couples who like to spend time in nature, breathing in the fresh air and listening to birds chirping. There are so many terrains available you can choose for your cycling routes.
These include rough terrains such as rocky or mountainous ones, or smooth ones such as cycling tracks along the river banks. There are some adventurous ones as well, through forests or along the oceans, too. For this particular activity, you need a quality bike. So, if you and your partner would like to give cycling a try and you don’t have bikes, search for a bicycle shop online and equip yourselves with the best bikes.
3. Hit the swimming pool
If you and your partner enjoy water sports or physical activities, one thing you can do together is hit the local swimming pool. Of course, if you’re lucky enough to live on the seaside, you can hit the waves and enjoy the swim in the warm sunshine. Swimming is a great option as you can go at your own pace.
One way to make swimming at the pool even more interesting and challenging is to do a certain number of laps. And if you’re both competitive, you can even make a small competition! Either way, it would certainly be a form of healthy competition – which is beneficial for your relationship.
4. Exercise at the gym together
Going to the gym is one of the most popular activities many people enjoy. It is a good option as there are male-female gyms all around the world, so couples can go together. You can do some separate workouts, if you are interested in different things and want to achieve different goals or you can do the workouts together, in pairs. Or, you can mix the two options! It is a great way to spend time together exercising. And it has plenty of benefits for your physical and mental health as well as your love relationship.
5. Try some fun couple workouts either at home or at the gym
Besides these usual workouts most couples opt for, there are also some fun couple workouts that you can do together at the gym, at home, or in the park. They are completely adjustable. You can search for these online, and if you do, you need to set your search in such a way to find some activities that will work on achieving your particular goal.
These goals can vary from losing weight, gaining muscle, etc. You can even find a few workouts and place them in a certain order of doing them, i.e. make an exercise plan for you and your partner. Remember that it might take some time to make a perfect routine. You don’t know what works for you until you try it – that’s for sure. Be open-minded and consider your partner’s wishes and capabilities as well, that’s what makes a relationship good.
Some of the particular workouts include exercising your arms and legs with an activity that’s called ‘over-under’. You and your partner need to place your feet hip-width apart and stand with your back against each other.
One of you holds the dumbbell overhead and the other one extends their arms (without holding the dumbbell). Next, both of you do squats, but having in mind that your butts need to stay at the same height and that your knees don’t go beyond your toes.
The final step is to bend over and the person holding the dumbbell passes it on to the partner through their legs. Then both stand up straight and the person who received the dumbbell passes it back on to their partner, but this time overhead. You need to do this repetition 15 times and then you need to switch positions. You can also do some bodyweight and wheelbarrow squats as well as squats and dibs.
Another fun couple workout is definitely ‘side plank pass’. In this activity you need to lay on your side with your faces turned in the same direction. Bring your hips up and lean on your right forearm so you can do the side plank. Stretch your left arm and open up your palms.
The person who is planking in the front holds a dumbbell in their left hand. Next, the person who is holding the dumbbell brings the hips slightly back so that the dumbbell can be passed under the body to the person behind them. Then the person grabs the dumbbell and stretches out their arm while remaining at the side plank position.
It sounds easier than it is! Repeat this 20 times and then change your positions. You can also try other types of planking such as ‘reach and touch plank’.
These are just a few examples of couples’ workouts. There are plenty of others including your abs, lunges, and others. Search online for more options.
Advantages of couples exercising together
Exercising together as a couple has many advantages for your love relationship. Some of these include increased happiness, improved workout efficiency, strengthening your relationship, better fitness goals, and increased emotional bond.
1. Increased happiness
Numerous studies show after participating together in an engaging physical activity, couples report being more satisfied with their relationship as well as more in love with their partners. Exercise surely has positive effects on a relationship. How come? Experts suggest that it is the physiological arousal that boosts attraction to one another.
According to this research, any physical activity that you do together with your partner, such as jogging together, taking a ballroom class, or going to the gym can boost the quality of your relationship. So, consider doing some physical activities beneficial both for you and your partner’s physical and mental health as well as for your romantic relationship.
2. Improved workout efficiency
Social psychology has had the concept of the presence of someone else in a certain activity and the effects it has for a long time now. How does this affect us? Well, even though we may feel competent enough to do the exercises, having our partner there, right next to us is an excellent way to boost your energy output.
The mere presence of your partner will increase your speed and thus efficiency. And the best part is, that you won’t even be aware of their presence, on a conscious level. However, it is also true that when trying to do something for the first time, your partner’s presence can interfere with your ability to complete a challenging task.
3. Deepening your relationship
As workouts and physical activities induce physiological arousals such as sweaty hands, a racing pulse and shortness of breath, they reflect the thrill of romantic attraction on many levels. What’s interesting is that people sometimes tend to mix the two and misattribute physical arousal for romantic attraction, according to recent studies. You can use this phenomenon to your advantage and have your partner exercise with you, which is likely to result in boosting your attractiveness in his or her eyes.
4. Better fitness goals
When partners care about each other’s fitness goals, it becomes easier to achieve mutual goals. Recent studies have shown that men who care about fitness engage in more physical activities in cases when their wives are supportive in terms of comments related to health. Sharing ups and downs of physical activities are perfect situations for such comments. When it comes to your own fitness goals, try not to rely too heavily on your partner. It can reduce your effort.
5. Increased emotional bond
While working out together, you and your partner coordinate your actions. For example, you might lift weights in rhythm with your partner, match your walking or running pace with his or hers, or toss medicine balls back and forth – it connects you to your partner. These actions create nonverbal matching and bonding. As a result, it helps you feel attuned to your partner and strengthen the bond you have. That’s why people say that couples who sweat together, stay together.
Incorporating your partner into your regular workout routine takes will, effort, some planning, and time. But once you create a functional routine for both of you, you can expect nothing less but a healthy, happy, and harmonious relationship.Â
