Couple’s Workouts for the Holidays!

This holiday season Varsity is going to help you shape up your body and your love life. With Valentine’s Day right around the corner and the New Year off to a start, now is a perfect time to renew your health and bring back the romance. Is there a special someone in your life? This Valentine’s Day think outside the box by giving a gift that keeps on giving: Fitness! Couple’s workouts are a great way to spark that flame in your relationship while also maintaining excellent health. As they say, “A couple that sweats together stays together.”

So you’re wondering, “What are the benefits of couple’s workouts?” Well, one key benefit is the bond and the support you gain while exercising with your significant other. Your partner will respect your willpower and commitment, so you can count on them to encourage you throughout. Another plus is that you’ll both be happier and more energetic, which will transcend into a ton of other aspects in both of your lives. But the most obvious benefit is that couples workouts are fun! You two will get to implement new exercise techniques that you aren’t always able to do on your own or with other partners. Here are a few examples to help get you started.

©Passion Push-Ups: The stronger partner (1) should lie on the ground facing up with feet together. The other partner (2) will straddle partner 1's legs and clasp hands. Partner 2 performs a push-up as partner 1 lowers and presses partner #2 back to starting position.

©Mountain Kisses: Partner 2 lies on bench with both feet on the bench and hands behind the head.  Do a sit-up, reaching hands forward. At the same time, partner 1 holds top of partner 2's feet and does incline mountain climbers. Don't forget the smooch at the top of your sit-up!

©Love Leg Tosses: To start, partner 2 lays on ground with partner 1 standing at the head. Holding partner 1's ankles, partner 2 lifts legs toward partner 1's hands. Partner 1 tosses legs slowly with control; don't let feet touch ground. Use core to lift legs back up.

©Dippin’ Wall Sit: Start by having partner 1 sit into a squat against the wall, making sure their thighs are parallel with the floor and their feet are shoulder width apart. Their arms should be held out or raised over their head. Hold a medicine ball for more difficulty. Partner 2 squats in front of partner 1 with their hands on partner 1’s knees. Partner 2 then lowers themselves by bending at the elbows at a 90 degree angle, then pressing back up to the starting position.

Now that you have an idea of what exercises to do with your partner, here are some tips for couple’s workouts success. Communication is the key. Make sure you say the right things to encourage your partner. What motivates you may not work as well on them. Know what your partner’s goals are. If there is a certain area or muscle group that your other half wants to work on, find ways to incorporate that into the routine. Planning ahead helps to achieve goals with better teamwork. Challenge your partner to raise the bar during workouts. There’s nothing wrong with friendly, healthy competition in the weight room. You will notice that this competitive banter produces more efficient and effective workouts.

Usually, the holidays are a time where we tend to neglect our fitness. With festive occasions, huge meals, tempting sweets and desserts, distant traveling, and days off from work, it’s easy to forget about going to the gym for a few weeks. Luckily, all of the examples provided in this article are activities you can do virtually anywhere. The park, the beach, and even your living room can be transformed into a couple’s gym. With these couple’s workout ideas, this Valentine’s Day will be romantic, challenging, and fun!   

 Writed by: Antwan

-East Carolina University graduate; BS in Elementary Education
-12 years as a UCA Staff Instructor; teaching at the college level, high school, intermediate, and primary ages.
- 6 years coaching tumbling and gymnastics
- Broadway’s “Bring It On: The Musical” Cast Member and Cheer/Stunt Captain
- Cheered/Instructed in various countries including Canada, UK, Japan, & The Caribbean