Working Out as a Couple: How to Strengthen Your Relationship Through Exercise
Working out as a couple offers you and your partner a unique opportunity to meet your personal health and wellness goals.
You probably already know that prioritizing exercise will help with your physical, mental, and emotional health but did you know that exercise can also greatly benefit your relationship health too?
Working out as a couple offers you and your partner a unique opportunity to not only meet your personal health and wellness goals, but also grow together in your relationship.
Benefits For Couples
Improves your workout
Having your partner present during your workout could help to boost your energy output and performance. Research has found that even the presence of someone else can positively affect your ability to complete a task or perform an activity.
Helps you achieve your fitness goals
Accountability plays a major role in ensuring your success with your health and wellness goals, especially when it comes to fitness. A 2015 study from John Hopkins found that couples who worked out together were more likely to reach their fitness goals.
When both you and your spouse or significant other value and prioritize exercising and maintaining healthy habits, you will feel more supported and will more likely achieve your goals.
Makes you a happier couple
Exercise releases endorphins, or your body’s “feel good” chemicals that relieve stress and pain and increase feelings of happiness. It plays a major role in the mental health of both you and your partner individually but sharing in this experience can also help you feel happier in your relationship.
Studies have also shown that after participating in an exciting physical challenge, couples reported increased feelings of satisfaction in their relationship and love toward their partner.
Increases your emotional bond
When you work out together and coordinate your movements, like running at the same pace or following the same moves of a workout routine, you create what psychologists call “nonverbal matching” or “mimicry.”
Of course, every couple is unique and working out with your husband or wife might not be the right fit for your relationship.
If your schedules often conflict or your fitness levels differ too much, working out together in a traditional sense, might lead to more frustration than enjoyment. Instead, consider other ways to get active as a couple like hiking, swimming, or biking to take advantage of these relationship benefits.
Tips for Working Out as a Couple
If you want to begin working out with your significant other, remember these helpful tips to maximize your workout and more fully enjoy the experience:
Don’t be afraid to try something new
If you and your significant other have been into fitness for awhile, you probably know your preferred workouts. And…it might not be the same for your spouse.
Taking on this new challenge of working out together offers you the perfect opportunity to try something new. This also offers your partner an opportunity to share something they really love with you; and who knows? You might really enjoy it too.
Encourage, don’t nag.
While offering a suggestion here or there can be appreciated, you are not your spouse’s personal trainer. You don’t need to critique his or her form unless your partner specifically asks for guidance or tips.
Of course, you also shouldn’t make fun of your partner’s attempts at a new form of exercise or of the challenges he or she faces during your workout time. Speak with empathy and love, and build one another up.
Don’t compete
While a little healthy competition is good in a relationship, when it comes to working out with your significant other, trying to keep up could be detrimental to your physical health. Trying to go as hard, fast, or long as your partner in a particular activity could lead to injury.
God made each of our bodies beautiful and unique; respect the gift you’ve been given by going at your own pace and modifying the workout to best suit you and your needs.
Treat it like a date
Don’t just pop in your earbuds and hop on the treadmill; treat this workout session as quality time with your spouse. Laugh, chat a bit, and maybe plan to enjoy a healthy post-workout snack together when you’ve finished.
A couple’s workout won’t replace your actual date night, but it can still provide you both with another opportunity to spend time with one another and grow in intimacy as a couple.
Pietra Fitness offers faith-based exercise classes for every fitness level, and you can do it from the comfort of your own home. Sign up for your 14-day free trial and find the perfect workout for your next at-home, fitness-focused date night.
