Fitness Programs

Should Couples Work Out Together?

Published by the Editors at fitnessyogi.com on March 06, 2010

Is it helpful or harmful to your individual fitness goals for couples to work out together? Many couples try to work out together and fail simply because they really did not have any type of plan. Many couples head to the gym together pledging simply to "get in shape" which is a vague rather general goal. Not surprisingly most of these attempts are made right around the new year.

Working out with your significant other can be very helpful if you have the same specific goals. If you are both trying to lose weight you can encourage each other during your cardio workouts and help each other monitor your diet. (Diet being the most important part of weight loss.) It can be really fun to try some partner workouts. For example, have one person row 250m while the other partner holds dumbells overhead and then switch for four sets.

However, if your fitness plans are not very similar you will have problems actually working out together. If one of you is trying to train with weights while the other wants to row then you have no hope of ever mixing it up outside of general words of encouragement.

Lastly, if you time in the gym of running is personal time to organize thoughts in your own head then maybe it's best to keep that time to yourself.