Regular exercise has many proven mental and physical health benefits but finding the motivation to exercise tends to be a bit challenging for most people. Studies have shown that exercising with a partner is an easy way to keep those motivation levels up, and who better to embark on an exercise journey with than your significant other?
Exercising together could involve incorporating some form of exercise into your everyday routine, or it could mean swapping out those lazy Sundays for a more active option.
Here are four fun forms of exercise that you could try with your partner.
Take a hike
How about exercising with a view? While this may not be a realistic everyday option, hiking is an exciting activity to try over a weekend. Pack some snacks, grab your better half, and head out to your nearest hiking trail.
Hiking can help reduce stress and improve cardiovascular fitness. But the best part of going on a hike is that it doesn’t have to be too strenuous at all. Start slow, choose a shorter trail, and get a good conversation going. This could also be a great opportunity to get some quality time in.
To make this a more regular form of exercise, why don’t you walk around your neighbourhood during the week? This way, you can build up your fitness and tackle the more intimidating trails when you’re ready.
Do an at-home HIIT workout
If you’re looking for something a little more intense to try out with your special someone, a partner HIIT workout may be just the thing. High intensity interval training (HIIT) alternates short periods of intense anaerobic exercise with brief recovery periods.
This is a fantastic at-home workout option as the exercises usually require limited equipment or none at all. Don’t be fooled, though – you’ll definitely break a sweat in this one. Start with shorter, easier to manage workouts and progress to longer, more challenging ones when you’ve built up some stamina.
Try a dance class
Dancing is a great way to get that heart pumping and blood flowing, and it’s also a lot of fun, especially when you have a partner. Check out your local gym or look around for a dance studio nearby and see what classes they have on offer.
If you’re taking up dance for its fitness benefits, a gym-based dance class will do. However, if you’re looking to refine your skills, try to go for a dance studio as this will offer more technique-based classes. Either way, you and your partner are bound to pick up some groovy moves that you can show off on the dance floor in the future.
For a more cost-effective dance party, head to YouTube. The platform has countless dance class videos on offer. From jazzercize to ballroom dancing, there’s bound to be something for the two of you to enjoy from the comfort of your own home.
Attempt couples yoga
Couples yoga can help increase intimacy, improve communication, build trust, and reduce stress. Plus, it’s pretty easy to do at home too. Research shows that practising yoga can help improve your strength, flexibility, and balance. So why not add your partner to the mix for some extra fun?
You can work on your individual poses together, or you could try out some partner poses. You don’t even have to be super flexible to try yoga out either – start with some basic poses and once you’ve gained your confidence in those, move to the more complicated ones.
Exercising doesn’t have to be a drag. It can actually be quite a lot of fun, especially when you have the love and support of your significant other every step of the way.
