The idea of being a super-fit fitness couple seems like a romantic way to spend time together and maximize your health as a person and as a couple. After all, exercising together is a great way to spend time with one another while you get in shape. However, there are times when exercising together can prove challenging.
You and your partner may need to make some changes before you begin if your hobbies, schedules, or fitness levels differ. Before starting an exercise program with your partner, think about all of the advantages and disadvantages of working out together. Find your levels of fitness, then select an exercise regimen that will work for both of you.
So how can you and your partner become that amazing fitness power couple? Follow these tips to help you get organized and improve your relationship with physical fitness and each other.
Communicate
Before you can do anything else, you have to communicate. You must be able to discuss your specific objectives, your level of fitness, and the kinds of exercises you are comfortable with. Without an honest talk about where you are, where you want to be, and how you want to get there, it will be challenging to work out together. Both members of the couple must be open to new exercises that benefit both without stressing either too far.
A great way to develop your mutual fitness is to document your yearly objectives and everyday behaviors. Using tools to monitor progress toward your goals and your daily habits will give you data that can help you evaluate your fitness level in a safe and non-judgmental way.
Setting mutual fitness goals should rely on intrinsic motivation. An internal need drives this kind of motivation. Examples of intrinsic motivation are wanting to be healthy for your family, meeting a specific personal fitness goal, or lifting a certain amount of weight. These goals spring from your wants and needs.
Extrinsic motivation focuses instead on ego or external advantages. These might be things like, “I want a six-pack for vacation” or “I want to look like this Instagram model.” Extrinsic motivators are weak: once you accomplish your goal, you need a new driver. Extrinsic goals don’t have staying power.
Ideally, you and your partner will share a common objective, something like “We want to live a long and healthful life together.” Having this shared goal will help you focus your exercise activities in a mutually beneficial way.
Find Ways to Exercise at Home
A home gym allows a lot of flexibility. If you are serious about becoming a physical fitness power couple, investing in a home gym setup will save you money and time with little initial commitment. Having your own gym will allow you to exercise on your own schedule, without needing to drive to the gym, change, share equipment, deal with crowds, and so on. You’ll be able to exercise together more freely without worry or embarrassment. A home gym saves time, removes excuses, and increases consistency while also saving money. If you are genuinely devoted to the lifestyle, a home gym can save you thousands of dollars, not to mention commuting time.
Hire a Trainer
Even Olympians and professional athletes require a trainer. Trainers have specialized knowledge that helps them integrate muscle groups while timing workouts for optimum efficacy. A trainer will also encourage you to perform exercises you might typically avoid — even if we hate leg day, it’s essential to do it!
When choosing how to become healthy as a pair, you should strongly consider including a trainer in your strategy. However, in most relationships, having your spouse as your trainer is a bad idea: a spouse has ulterior motives and may not be able to effectively coach their partner.
Have a Routine
Having a planned daily routine can help you become healthy as a pair. First, decide on your rest days with your spouse and commit to working out together the rest of the time. Second, it’s essential to plan an exercise regimen that varies daily, then monthly. If you don’t have a varied schedule, you’ll end up plateauing.
While high-tech solutions abound for tracking your exercise regimen, the easiest way to stay on track is to print out the calendar and check it off each day. While you or your spouse may miss exercises due to travel or illness, the unaffected spouse must keep working out. Likewise, the delayed individual should join their companion wherever they are and keep going. These setbacks may discourage us, but hang in there: the rewards are worth it.
Record Your Progress
Without tracking your results, you won’t notice any progress. Take “before” pictures of each other before you begin your exercise regimen. You should also keep track of your measurements and weight, but be careful not to track too aggressively, leading to discouragement. A once-a-month weigh-in and measuring session is usually sufficient. You’ll also want to monitor your progress throughout each exercise. Note how many repetitions or weights you used for each activity.
Group Your Exercises
Plan your exercises to combine 2 or 3 movements that work with various muscle groups. For example, try combinations like calf raiser hip-ups with triceps curls, lunges with curls, and pull-ups with crunches. This exercises a variety of muscles and muscle groups that work in sync to get you fit.
Grouping exercises also helps keep your workout times consistent. Working out together shouldn’t take more than an hour, and really, any amount of exercise is acceptable. Consistency, not intensity, is key in fitness. Consistently doing ten minutes of exercise a day is better than working out hard once a week. This is another area in which a trainer can help.
Don’t Expect Identical Results
Keep in mind that your outcomes will vary. Do not compare your outcomes to those of your spouse since you are different. You likely have different genders, body shapes, bone structures, and genetics that will affect your specific results. This is especially true for women. Men’s bodies tend to respond differently to exercise than women’s bodies, and men tend to lose weight more rapidly.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Couples Exercise?
In a perfect world, you and your significant other might enjoy the same hobbies, work on similar schedules, and be perfectly matched in terms of physical capabilities. We must acknowledge, however, that this is not an ideal world. Every one of you probably came into your relationship with a different workout history, a different set of interests, and a different set of skills. It might happen that you and your spouse like other exercises and prefer different kinds of workouts. Exercising together requires teamwork and compromise.
Motivation and Inspiration
According to recent research, fitness couples who felt that they were “in this together” were better able to motivate each other to exercise regularly than those who did not. Apart from that, their common views about fitness impacted the amount of effort they put out in order to stay with a regimen.
Consistency
If you work out with your partner, you will never miss your workout. Your sweetheart will make sure you follow through on your promises. Your wife or spouse may also serve as valuable reminders about future exercises, and they can even assist you with everyday tasks if that is what is required to get the workout in on time.
Couples Exercise, Couples Bonding
If you and your partner feel that you don’t get enough alone time together, a couples exercise program may be the ideal answer for you both. Exercising together may make you feel more connected. Even if it’s just a brief exercise session, a quick jog, or a weight-loss cycle session, exercising together will help you feel closer to your partner.
Final thoughts
Are you planning a romantic getaway together? Consider taking a trip that will allow you to rest and rejuvenate while still being healthy and active throughout your stay. Certain cruises are designed specifically for fitness couples. In addition, you could try attending a fitness-focused resort to enjoy a vacation focused on wellness. Many locations in the United States and overseas offer resort programs that include exercises, wellness lectures, and culinary courses to assist you in reaching and maintaining a desirable weight. There are also sport-specific active holidays available, such as running camps, bike excursions, and multisport vacations that allow you to remain active while taking in the sights of a new location.
There are a variety of compelling reasons to work out with your spouse or partner. According to a recent lifestyle study, 85 percent of couples who exercise together report that it has helped strengthen their relationship, not to mention the health benefits of exercising together. So if you want to be a fabulous fitness couple, you should sit down together, make a plan, and commit to sticking with it. Chances are you’ll be very pleased with the results!
