Beth Rush
Many people have a love-hate relationship with exercise. But bringing your significant other to the gym, on a hike, run or cycle, could shift your outlook.
Some love the adrenaline of physical activity, while others aren’t fans of sweating and panting. There’s also the matter of doing it consistently, often alone.
Bringing your spouse or significant other could make a world of difference. Plus, you can engage in fun workouts for couples to keep each exercise session fresh and exciting.
Benefits Of Exercising With Your Spouse
Exercising with your partner is a fun activity that can help you grow closer to one another. You get extra quality time with them, from the warmups to the recovery sessions. It can also deepen your bond as exercising together can show both affection and vulnerability. You can celebrate fitness milestones and admitting when you’re tired, fostering a stronger relationship.
“Keep each exercise session fresh and exciting”
There’s also the matter of consistency. A study from Sage Journals finds exercising with a romantic partner can increase your chances of success in maintaining an exercise routine while boosting daily relationship satisfaction. If you’ve ever struggled with keeping up with your significant other and workouts, it’s the ultimate solution.
Fun Workouts For Couples
It can take time to warm up to regularly exercising with your partner since you need to find an activity you both love. Luckily, there are many fun workouts for couples to try out.
1. Walking
Walking is great for stretching your legs. Consider finding parks and open spaces for a stroll with your partner. People connect with one another when they feel relaxed, so go as quick or slow as you like and hold hands if you feel like it.
2. Gym Exercises
The gym is a great one-stop place to work out different parts of your body. Many two-person gym exercises can tone your physique and entertain you all at once. Some examples are:
- Sit-up pass: Sit on the floor in front of each other, putting your feet flat while your knees are bent. Take turns doing sit-ups while passing a medicine ball to each other. Make sure the one with the ball taps it above their head before sitting up and passing it.
- Plank high-five: Get into a high-plank position in front of one another. Hold the position before raising one hand to give your partner a high-five on the opposite hand. Switch it up and try to do it for as long as possible (laughter is encouraged!).
- Leg push-down: The leg push-down helps you and your partner take turns working out the abs. Get on the floor and hold onto the ankles of your loved one, who should be standing up. Raise your legs to 90 degrees – which they should push down as you try to get them back up. After a couple of repetitions, swap places.
3. Partner Yoga
Couple’s yoga is a great way to challenge your flexibility and trust with one another. You can try beginner poses like the downward dog, warrior and partner breathing, where you sit back to back. Dive into partner positions when you start to warm up to the practice.
4. Dancing
Dancing is one of the ultimate fun exercises to try out with your spouse. You can try tap dancing to work on your foot and leg movements. For something more romantic, go ballroom dancing – it improves your strength and flexibility at a more leisurely pace.
“enjoy the adrenaline while staying healthy together”
5. Cycling
Cycling helps you go the distance, work out your legs and introduce you to new sights. You and your partner can get two bikes and make a race out of it, or a couple’s tandem bicycle will let you steer the same vehicle together.
6. Pickleball
Pickleball has recently been gaining a lot of traction. About 15 per cent of Americans tried pickleball at least once in 2022! It’s like a tame version of tennis that works out your legs and wrists without being too demanding. Plus, you only need a paddle, a ball and a partner.
7. Golfing
There’s a competitive air when you’re trying to get points and one-up each other in golf. Walking to the next hole is extra exercise and quality time with your loved one. Although, you could always take a golf cart if you feel less energetic.
8. Kickboxing
Kickboxing is a creative way to fight and train together It’s similar to boxing, except you also use your legs and feet to deliver a blow. Training with someone you trust is essential for such a physical sport, which makes it ideal to do with your significant other. Kickboxing can improve heart health and muscles, so enjoy the adrenaline while staying healthy together.
9. Hiking
Hiking is a fun recreational activity for exploring the countryside. You can pack a bag and leave home just before sunrise to catch a mountaintop view. Trekking at noon is also good if you prefer to see the sunset instead. Either way, you could end the day with a romantic picnic with a fantastic view, patting yourselves on the back for getting through the journey.
Try Couples Exercises
Couples exercises can hit two birds with one stone; you get extra motivation to exercise and spend extra time with your romantic partner. Why noy try some of these fun workouts for couples and make a date out of it?
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Featured image courtesy of Artem Podrez on Pexels. No changes were made to this image. See image license here.
Beth Rush
Beth is the Managing Editor and content manager at Body+Mind. She is a well-respected writer in the personal wellness space and shares knowledge on various topics related to mental health, nutrition, and holistic health. You can find Beth on Twitter @bodymindmag. Subscribe to Body+Mind for more posts by Beth Rush!