Do you workout with your significant other?

annamc18

Hello!

I was just curious how many of you awesome MFPer's workout with your partner/spouse? Do you both enjoy it, or is it a battle?

The reason I ask is because my BF has been complaining about being tired all the time, and it's understandable since he has a highly labor intensive job. He's got the beer belly thing going on though (which he complains about), and is very stiff and not very flexible anymore. He used to work out all the time before we got together and was very flexible and limber at the time. He now looks back on those days like he misses it.

SO - I asked him last night if he would like to try jogging with me in the morning. He and I both are HORRIBLE at waking up early, but I think if we did it together it'd be easier for the both of us. So, since we are on vacation next week and don't have to get up as early as we normally would - he agreed he'd try it & we also agreed to bring the dogs with us since I learned that having a dog on a leash while jogging kinda keeps your mind from focusing on the workout too much, but rather making sure there are no loose dogs running around you or your dog isn't like $hitting in someone's yard lol.

So my ultimate goal would be to see if he enjoys it, and if so - when we get back to a normal working schedule he'd be willing to continue. The only other hurdle we'd have to get over at that point would be just waking up at like 5am to do it! ...that'll be fun lol

So ya - if you workout with your spouse, how do you like it? Was it as nice as you expected? Do they keep you motivated?

Just curious :bigsmile:

annamc18

nobody?! :sad:

*bump*

acollis1

My husband and I get up at 4am 6 days a week to workout! It's nice because if he's getting up I HAVE to and vice versa! We definatly keep eachother motivated, makes you work out a little harder because someone is watching!!! Good Luck!

feetjustgo

My boyfriend and I do not jog together because he's much much faster than me. In general, he has more athletic ability, despite the fact that I work out regularly and he does once in a blue moon.

One thing we've found that does work for both of us is the NYT 7 minute workout: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/09/the-scientific-7-minute-workout/ . We do it simultaneously, but we each adjust as necessary for our abilities. I do the push ups on my knees (and way less of them). On the other hand, his squats are more shallow than mine. We actually do each exercise for 1 minute instead of 30 seconds... or try to, anyway. It means more downtime for me with certain exercises (eff you, triceps dips), but ensures we both get a good workout.

It's an intense workout and it's much easier to motivate myself to do it with a partner!

annemb989

Hey Girl Hey! It's actually opposite in my situation My Husband is a BEACHBODY COACH!!!! And I'm more than 40 lbs overweight and I use to be a dancer in shape! hahaha... o how the years and o how I let myself go. My husband is great though he has really listened to my needs and we have learned a lot. FOR Example- (o side note I have 1 lung and my heart is on the wrong side turned around so I have to be careful with my cardio) He has set me up with the T25 workout which is 25 minutes of intense workout I LOVE IT ... we went through several of the Beachbody programs to find the one that works for me- because when he would PUSH the issue instead of him being my coach I heard my husband putting me down (he wasn't but that's a self esteem thing I suppose) Anywho--- We built a DREAM poster together and what a healthy in shape life looks like versus a life of us sitting on the couch with beer belly's looked like- both agreed that the DREAM/ GOAL poster was a better future for us. Since then We cut out all our credit card debt, We have been eating healthier, we moved into our own apartments without roommates, and we are building a nest egg for our own house, my husband is now certified to teach P90x classes, Insanity Classes, I have found and work in my dream job, and I'm being consistent with my workouts.... I have a LONG way to go but I love seeing the bigger picture of how our healthy lifestyle choices roll from one area to another!

NoeHead

We go to the gym together and sometimes he joins me in spin class but that's about it. He's fit so his fitness goals are differentt than mine. On weekends we to go the gym together but we separate and do our own thing unless I have a question about weights. During the week I do fitness classes...it's nice that we both do our own thing because at the dinner table we talk about what we did for the day...it's a great motivation that we both have our workouts, especially since he's my "official weight announcer" on my saturday morning weigh ins lol

leilaphoenix

I do stuff with my husband but I don't rely on his company to work out.

A typical week of workouts for me includes
Monday - cycle commute (10k)
Tuesday - cycle commute (10k), run with husband (5k)
Wednesday - cycle commute (10k) plus errands (another 10k of cycling)
Thursday - cycle commute (10k)
Friday - cycle commute (10k)
Saturday - big run, on my own (10k+)
Sunday - big cycle to a country pub, with husband

We've also doing the 30 Day Shred in our living room together which is hilarious.

The main thing I wanted to say was that over time he has wanted to join in with me more. So don't over-pressure your OH and don't rely on the OH to motivate you.

jlahorn

DH has worked out with me sporadically over the years. We used to go to the gym together, but his arthritis (he's only 38 - it's a genetic thing) often forced us to leave sooner than I would have preferred. We go hiking together all the time, though - he can usually manage up to 2 hours of that, which is great. He'll sometimes also do Dance Central with me on the XBox, which is delightful for SO many reasons

Other than that, though... no. I do wish he was more interested in working out with me, for his own health, because I love his company, and because I think I would push myself even harder if he were with me. I wouldn't expect him to come to Zumba, but I think he might like yoga and Bodypump if he gave them a chance. But no. And that's ok.

norahwynn

On the weekends we go to the gym together, but he Spins, and I'm doing other cardio. During the week I'm at work by 6:30 and work out in the gym at work at about 10am, then again when I get home in the evening. He goes to the gym at about 6:30 each morning.

Kelly_Runs_NC

Yup. We lift weights 4 days a week at 4:00 am and run 3 evenings a week. We also run marathons together. Couples that work out together - stay together! ;-)

We get pretty competitive too!!

TribeHokie

Blegh heck no. Our workout styles are completely different. I prefer walking, he always runs. I would rather do a video but he prefers the gym. He lifts to build muscle and I don't really lift at all as I prefer bodyweight exercises. Doesn't mesh well.

leedebter

My BF and I work out together any chance we get. He motivates me to go harder and I motivate him. It's so much easier for him when he is there to go through it with me! Give it a try.

onekiss0813

Yes we started working out together, we meet with our trainer 3 times a week. It great cause we encourage each other is bad cause he lost weight and i am stuck in mine

SJLS2013

I would like to give it a go. My boyfriend is curious about my workout routine- he does 25mins at the gym each morning just running and rowing, but I do a mix of running (outside and at the gym), classes, PT time, DVDs and weights. However, whenever I suggest we go running together or he try my weights he says no. The closest I've gotten is he asked to watch me doing the 30DS, I said no!

ced1389

Absolutely do! Not as much as we used to because he has baseball games between 3 & 5 nights a week in the summer but when we can, we do. We used to religiously go to the gym together but it doesn't always just have to be that or running. Find what you enjoy! We also rollerblade with our husky & last weekend we tried paddle boarding (it's actually more of a workout than I thought)! We're not the best morning people either

doowop713

I do work out with my boyfriend... If he doesn't have a headache, or a tummy ache, or a cramp, or if he's not tired, or if he had no more than one beer..... if you get my drift. :grumble:

So basically he works out with me when everything in his universe if perfect. When we do, it is fun and it pushes me to do more. I work out 5 days a week. He usually is there for 1-2 of those days. He is extremely stiff and though his health has improved since we have gotten together after his quitting smoking ( I have asthma and he has a now three year old), he complains that he is the heaviest he has ever been. It will hopefully get better over time.

We absolutely don't do anything early though! He can be an early bird, but so can his son, so we wait until we don't have the little bear or until he is asleep. (We have a basement workout area).

cebreisch

My husband and I used to try to take walks together, and while we enjoyed being together, it was also frustrating because we wanted to go different paces. What we ended up doing was we mapped a few routes around our neighborhood, and we'd take different routes - if we encountered each other, we'd give each other a "high-5" as we passed each other.

Now, we have a membership at the gym. We've coordinated our days so we go on the same day at *about* the same time, but we do different things while we're there. Works rather nicely.

For what it's worth...

kganc001

I work out with my SO...but it's more like I'm his trainer haha. He's a big heavy lifter, and I'm getting in to that and he's getting in to cardio so we support each other and push each other. It kind of sucks if our schedules get mismatched, but it's working really well so far. I know I can't compete with him in weight (why would I want to...?!) and he can't compete with my zumba moves (haha!) so it's more of a motivational thing for me. Plus, I like to look at him when he works out. O:)

bcattoes

My husband and I only workout together when we hike or mountain bike. That's pretty much all the 'exercise' he gets, but I workout most days even when the weather or our schedule doesn't allow for hiking or biking. There are other times we are active together, though, such as if the grandkids or friends are over and we play a sport or game, or when we are working the garden for Spring or Winter.

JoelleAnn78

Yes

My fiance and I run together and completed C25K together. A few years ago we went to the gym together.

LuckyMunky

We rarely get the chance. I keep suggesting to him that we join a gym together so that we can drop the kids off and do our own thing for an hour or two, but he hasn't been too enthusiastic about it. Right now, we do our work outs separately while the other person watches the kids.

Honestly though, I think I should just buy us a couple of gym passes and hand him one. We NEED to do more things together as a couple and not a family. For our marriage, we need it.

alfiedn

My husband and I don't work out together often. We got to a yoga class on Sundays together. If I run at the gym, sometimes he'll come and cycle a bit. However, we have opposite schedules. He wakes up early for work and I work into the evening.

I don't push it with him because he isn't really overweight and he works full time and takes classes. I am more dedicated to working out.

I think in a year, when he is done with classes, I might be able to get him to work out with me more often. However, we definitely still have the schedule problem!

Dark_Roast

My husband and I run together when we can, but our schedules make it tough. I try to run 3x per week and usually he's with me at least once. Luckily our pace is similar so we run very well together.

ncmedic201

I don't have a SO but my boys and I ride bikes together. My oldest is 18 and lives at his dads now. It holds me accountable to ridewith him because iI have to show up at the trail when we say we're going to ride. It also makes me work harder because I can't keep up with him on the hills!! My youngest is in a cast right now but we plan to lift weights together once the doc releases him.

I like it because I don't want to be the one to back out on our plans and my son won't back out because he won't want to hear me nag

melindasuefritz

no hes not interested
hes staying fat

AJL437

Yep. We get up at 5:00 am Monday - Friday and head to the gym. We do cardio MWF and Body Pump class (his idea) Tues/Thurs. We go for walk on Saturday and Sunday. At the beginning of this year, I took a challenge to work out for 30 minutes every day. He got inspired and decided to join me. Now we figure out a way to get it in - we've even walked in circles around an airport.

dangerousdumpling

Not yet. I'd like to get a weight set so I can start lifting heavier weight and I know that if my husband knows I'm lifting he'll want to lift, too. That's my plan. I know we will enjoy working out together. We used to walk together before he got busier at work and we really enjoyed that time together.

TheFitHooker

My husband won't even try and help me by keeping crap food out of the house, so it's all been me having to push myself. I've had to stop eating crap and not letting myself cave in. I've had to workout on my own. Till recently, he's taken an interest in walking with me. I don't normally walk, I normally jog, but I agreed to walk if he was willing to do it with me. 1 step at a time. He was interest in insanity, then I actually got it and his interest is no longer there. It can't be about interest, has to be about commitment. Oh well I can only do me. I'm about to be ordering Focus T-25 and I can't wait, I feel great and weather he ever does it or not, I still love him. I can't make him do anything he don't want, but he either eats what I cook or he cooks his own food lol. But he isn't picky and actually likes most my cleaner healthier meals. Once in awhile he'll make hot dogs which I can't stand so it doesn't bother me, I usually have my chicken out and ready to be cooked.

CantStopWontStop92

Love it! My ex and I used to work out together all the time, and he was a great motivator. It was a lot of fun, and it definitely made us feel more like a team. When we broke up we both started hitting the gym even more and "accidently" snap chatting our results, because we're both stubborn as hell and wanted to one-up the other :blushing: Haha mature break up behavior, I know. Now he's one of my best friends and despite being 2,000 miles away, we still push eachother to keep in shape. I'm a lucky girl to have a friend like him!

lulu81488

My boyfriend & I love to work out together. He is a fantastic motivator for me and we teach each other different work outs to try. He likes to play racquetball & I am not very good. We play racquetball together sometimes and he is always really patient as I am still learning. He will practice yoga with me as well. I really think that working out together and supporting each other has strengthened our relationship. My boyfriend is athletic and fit, whereas I am still working towards my fitness goals. I probably wouldn't have as much success without his motivation on days when I'm just not into it.

MaeRenee94

My boyfriend and I are extremely completive people so it works out good. But we do get feisty at each other at times, and it's gotten bad a couple of times. We decided to put our shells on and say "what happens in the gym, stays in the gym". That has worked out good, he pushes me extremely hard and I push him just as hard.
It's great doing this with a partner because you are with them more than anyone so they can keep you on track. Working towards a goal with the one you love is amazing.