As couples we all love to eat together, watch a movie or tv, take vacations, go out to events, etc. Why not make exercise a fun activity that you can enjoy doing together? As busy as life gets, we should utilize exercise as a time of spending quality time together since we spend most of our days working and away from each other. There are plenty of benefits to working out with your spouse or significant other, even if you’re at different fitness levels.
WHY:
SAFETY. It’s always a good idea to have a partner assist or spot a certain exercise to help prevent injuries, correct improper technique, etc. The person that cares about you the most should be your significant other, so why not have them there to look after your safety?
BONDING AND QUALITY TIME. We spend so much time at work these days that we need to take advantage of whatever time we can get to bond. Working out together can surely help with bringing couples closer together. Quality time is very important as couples strive to build a healthy relationship, and what better way than to help each other achieve his or her fitness goals? Exercising is something we should all take seriously, but that doesn’t mean you and your partner can’t have fun and enjoy time spent together exercising.
MOTIVATION. We all can use a little bit of motivation when it comes to exercise, especially when we’re feeling tired after a long day of work. The best person to help out with this could and should be your spouse. They know you best and want to see you succeed. Who better to have by your side encouraging you and pushing through a tough workout with you?
TEAMWORK. When you exercise together, it provides another opportunity for you to improve your ability to work together as a team. You learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses and are able to help to come up with an effective plan for making improvements in order to help your partner reach his or her exercise goals. This will help bring respect for one another as you see the transformation both physically and mentally. I’m sure we’d all love to make improvements in our bodies to get our spouse’s attention in ways we’ve never seen before. Why not let them help us get there?
HOW:
STRETCHING. Find time to stretch together. Assisted stretching can really help increase one’s flexibility. Your partner will appreciate you taking the time to stretch them and help relieve any tension in their body.
CLASSES. Doing yoga together is another great option that works for any fitness level. If you want to take it up a notch, try bikram (hot) yoga. There’s nothing like the achievement and vitality that comes from a good workout and having someone you care about right there sharing the experience with you.
Be sure to check out the other classes at your local gym and see what each person likes, then try a new class together. Kickboxing and cycling are just a couple of options that come to mind. The point is just to be active together even if you have no idea what you’re doing in the classes you pick. You’re bound to get a few good laughs as you try to learn some new moves, and the time spent together will totally be worth it.
CARDIO. If you’re not up for a class, you can always hop on cardio machines next to each other and spend the time catching up, or even competing for the best heart rate or most calories burned.
GO ON AN ADVENTURE. Of course don’t forget to mix it up from time to time. Try outdoor activities if you don’t usually do things like walking, hiking, biking, camping, rafting, etc. Whatever you do, just remember to have fun!
Most importantly, always encourage and challenge each other to get better. If you notice your partner has been breezing through a level 7 hill running on the elliptical for a month or so now, challenge them to go to level 8 or 9 on the next workout. Let them know that they can do it and that you believe in them. Make sure that they know you want them to be as good as they can be in everything that they do. Show them your love and support no matter what.