Working out together can have added benefits for couples

 

Molly Belmont

Albany, N.Y. - They say that the couple who plays together, stays together. What about the couple who sweats, tones, lunges and lifts together -- what happens to them? Experts say that working out together can do wonders for your relationship and your body.
"There is someone else there holding you accountable, and chances are you will work out longer and harder than if you were working out alone," said Lisa Woods, ACE certified personal trainer for Planet Fitness in Loudonville, N.Y.
Working out with your spouse or partner can also promote a healthier lifestyle overall. After all, who orders a pizza alone?

"If a spouse or partner sees the other person working out and eating healthy and just overall being aware of their health, the other person will be more inclined to want to do the same thing," Woods said.
Spending that extra time together every week doesn't hurt either. Couples workouts can be a new way to share time and connect, said William Boome, personal training director at Bally Total Fitness in Albany.
People work long hours, and even when they get home, they have more responsibilities and obligations. Working out together can be a way to have a little time together, he said.
Meeting at the gym or taking a walk together can be a fun way to spend time together, providing new opportunities for bonding. Praise from your partner at the end of these workouts means much more than any pat on the back from a personal trainer.
Before you embark on a new fitness regime with your spouse or partner, take some time to consider these questions:
Are you both willing to make this commitment? If both people aren't ready to commit to fitness, then workouts will soon become a sore spot in a relationship, Boome said. (And not the good kind of soreness, either.)
You can't drag someone else to fitness; they have to go willingly, he said. They both have to want it; otherwise, one person is bound to miss workouts, and the other person is bound to feel resentful.
What are your individual goals? Each person has to determine what his goals are and then find out where they bisect, and then design a workout routine around that.
For instance, a couple can do cardio and strength training together, but their intensity and weight levels might be different, Woods said. Or, they might also have different trouble spots they want to focus on, she said.
For instance, maybe she wants to build muscle mass in her lower body, and he wants to bulk up his upper body. In this case, they might start with cardio, then work on their trouble spots individually, then reunite for the rest of their strength training.
Couples can also take classes together, Woods added. Most group fitness classes cater to all levels, so even though you're part of a larger class, you can work out at your own pace, she said.
"Some individuals favor strength training, while others favor cardio. Working out together can create a balance between both," Woods said.
How do you motivate one another? Are you a couple that offers praise and encouragement, or do you thrive on a spirit of healthy competition? To help each other stay on track without nagging, you have to know what makes a person tick, and then make that work for him, Boome said.
He has one couple that encourages each other by setting goals and then competing to see who can reach their goal faster. They are so motivated that sometimes they'll sneak in a workout without their partner, just to reach their goal, he said.
Remember that you may be in the gym together, but you still have different ways of working things out. "Each person has their own way of learning things and different ways of processing information, and couples just have to be aware of that and set boundaries," Woods said.
Listening to your partner and keeping the lines of communication open are the keys to a successful workout partnership.