How Can Couples Exercise Together? (5 Workout Ideas)

Key Takeaways:

• Weight gain is an unfortunate side effect of being in a healthy, stable, happy romantic relationship. Thankfully, exercising together could help.

• Some exercise ideas you could explore include home-based circuit training, taking long walks, trying out different sports activities, and hitting the gym.

• Beyond healthy weight management, exercising together could also boost workout adherence, motivation, and relationship satisfaction.

Can being in a healthy, stable romantic relationship be bad for you? It doesn’t seem likely — after all, coupling up is associated with a longer lifespan, bolstered immune system, and improved mental well-being. 

But, turns out, there is a dark side to being in a happy relationship that all our favorite rom-coms fail to depict after that (gratifying) final kiss scene. 

An expanding waistline. For both parties. 

A study of 2,000 Americans in relationships found that three-quarters gained an average of 16.3 kg since meeting their partner. Locally, a Singapore study found that getting married is associated with greater weight gain and a higher likelihood of major weight gain (> 5 kg) than remaining unmarried.  

So, how can you prevent or shed this unwanted “relationship weight”? Try exercising together. Below, get inspired by five fun couples exercise ideas and learn how working out together could benefit you beyond weight management.

How can couples exercise together?

#1: Home-based circuit training

Kicking things off with a free, low-barrier couples exercise idea: home-based bodyweight circuit training. 

For the uninitiated, circuit training involves alternating between several moderate-intensity exercises (anywhere from five to 15) that target different muscle groups with little to no rest in between. It’s different from high-intensity interval training (HIIT); learn more here. 

Here’s the structure of a typical circuit training:

• Perform each exercise in the circuit for a specific number of reps (usually eight to 20) or a particular duration (usually 30 to 60 seconds)

• Take a brief breather (about 90 seconds to 2 minutes) after you complete each exercise in the circuit

• Repeat the entire circuit for anywhere between three to five rounds 

In addition to strengthening your and your loved one’s heart and lungs as a cardio exercise, circuit training that features resistance exercises could also help maintain or even build metabolism-booting muscle mass — enhancing your effort to lose the relationship weight gain.

Ready to give circuit training a try? 

You don’t have to cobble random exercises together. There are plenty of tried-and-tested circuit training workout plans available online specific to your and your partner’s fitness level.

#2: Take long walks

The home setting is familiar, comfortable, and convenient. But in the same vein, it can also become … boring. So, why not take your workouts outside? 

Compared to “indoor workouts”, research shows that “outdoors workouts” could:

• Lead to a greater enhancement in cognitive function (e.g., working memory and concentration)

• Make tough exercise feel easier and more enjoyable, potentially boosting long-term workout adherence

• Be more psychologically beneficial (based on anxiety, depression, anger, energy, and calmness scores) 

Good news: despite her teeny tiny land size, Singapore is packed with plenty of green hiking trails you could explore with your partner. 

Of course, you don’t have to walk if you don’t want to. Feel free to cycle or jog if you enjoy kicking it up a notch.

#3: Explore different sports

Feeling uninspired by the thought of walking, cycling, and jogging? 

Don’t worry, there are plenty of other sports you could try with your partner. For a taste, just look at the different facilities you could book (for a fee) under ActiveSG, a sports membership program complimentary for all Singaporeans and Singapore PRs. 

Here’s a taster to whet your sporting appetite:

• Swimming:

  Conventional swimming complex
  $1 on weekdays, excluding PHs
  $1.30 on weekends and PHs
  
  Special features swimming complex
  $1.50 on weekdays, excluding PHs
  $2 on weekends and PHs

• Badminton and Pickleball (indoor court):

  Non-peak: $3.50/h
  Peak: $7.40/h

• Squash (no air-con):

  Non-peak: $3/h
  Peak: $6/h

• Table tennis:

  Non-peak: $1.50/h
  Peak: $3.20/h

• Tennis:

  Non-peak: $3.50/h
  Peak: $9.50/h

In case you were wondering what “peak” and “non-peak” hours are:

• Peak hours: Hours between 6 and 10 pm on Mondays to Fridays, and between 7 am and 10 pm on Saturdays, Sundays, and Public Holidays 

• Non-peak hours: Hours between 7 am and 6 pm on Mondays and Fridays, excluding Public Holidays

Other “unconventional” sports options include rock climbing, kayaking, and ultimate frisbee. 

#4: Hit the gym 

Next up on our list of couples' exercise ideas: the gym. 

It’s a great option if you have different fitness and/or aesthetic goals from your partner yet want to exercise “together” in close proximity. For example:

• You could work on your endurance on the treadmill — or any cardio machine of your choice — while they bang out reps in the free weights section

• You could prioritize upper body development (chest, back, and arms) while they build their lower body muscles (glutes and hamstrings)

ActiveSG gyms offer the lowest pay-per-use price at $2.50. 

#5: Personal training sessions and group classes

If you’re both new to fitness, getting started on your own can feel overwhelming, and you may not know how to begin. 

That’s where personal training sessions and group classes (e.g., boxing, yoga, and spinning classes)  may come in handy. You’ll both get access to a knowledgeable instructor who could provide guidance on exercise form, suggest exercise regressions where necessary, and motivate.

Benefits of couples working out together

Exercising together helps with healthy weight management. But what else? 

• Accountability: You’re less likely to slack off on working out if you’ve already planned to work out together; it’s no longer about just you. Indeed, an old study found that healthy adults who joined a 12-month exercise program with a spouse reported significantly higher monthly attendance and lower dropout rates than those who had joined without a spouse. 

• Motivation: Research shows that you’re more likely to push yourself harder when working out with a partner than on your own, especially if you think your partner’s moderately fitter than you are. (Competitiveness has been shown to increase physical motivation.)

• Strengthens your relationship: According to a 2021 study, individuals who work out together with their romantic partner experience higher levels of relationship satisfaction. This is likely due to their improved moods during the day, but it’s also possible that the increased (quality) time spent together played a role.

Working out together could keep those kgs off you both, but it’s not the only thing that matters. 

There’s also diet. It’s incredibly challenging to “out-exercise” a bad diet. For reference, the mean calorie content of a fast food meal is 836 calories — an individual weighing 60 kg would have to run at a moderate pace for 1 hour and 20 minutes to burn that off.

If you need guidance on how you and your partner can make a healthy and sustainable lifestyle and dietary changes (no, please do not use fad diets!) to keep the weight off for optimal health and well-being, we have just the program for you. 

NOVI Optimum offers:

• Personalized fitness and dietary guidance (from NOVI’s fitness coaches and dietitians)  that works for your lifestyle 

• Monthly reviews with your coach

• Continuous guidance and monitoring through our app