PHAT spouse

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Habehandful
Habehandful Posts: 41 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
My husband and I decided to challenge each other in a little friendly competition.
Since he is deployed I came up with PHAT spouse.
We are both in rather good shape. My husband is in very good military shape. I recently have worked off all my baby weight.
I am in good shape but I would like to improve further.
Now that I feel like I could keep up with my husband physically, I came up with PHAT spouse...ultimately who is the hotter spouse.
At the end of the deployment, him and I would go through an array of physical tests, where we would find out who is the ultimate PHAT spouse.

The PHAT Spouse test includes:
Push ups
Sit ups
Pull ups/Flexed arm hang
Run

Since my husband is in much better physical condition then I am, hence military conditioning for several years we have set up a few parameters for the fitness test.

For every push up I do, he does 3 push ups
Sit ups are equal- We figured this is an equal task since the military has made this gender neutral on the P/T tests
For every second I hold my chin above the pull up bar, he does 5 pull ups – this is called the Flexed arm hang
As for the run, we are still figuring that out.
If anyone has any ideas that would be great?????
Considering my husband can run circles around me. I am a runner, just a slower runner.

The reason why I am sharing this is because I think more spouses/significant others should share fitness together. Especially if you spend time apart, military or not.
This has brought my husband and I together. We share our aches and pains, our accomplishments and our goals.
People that have a hard time maintaining their weight often struggle with finding that motivation to hold on to it. My husband and my son are my biggest motivation and support.

I hope someone else out there can use PHAT Spouse.
Thanks for reading!
-R

Replies

  • craek
    craek Posts: 201 Member
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    GREAT Idea! Over the winter, my boyfriend and I had a competition and it worked very well. Think I will have to start up aonther one now!
  • sblair77
    sblair77 Posts: 355 Member
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    You are brave! My hubby is in the army as well and before that he was a Muay Thai fighter and no matter how hard I try he simply has a effortless stamina and endurance that I can't compete with.

    Let us know how it goes! I am rooting for you to kick his butt!
  • CatMauro
    CatMauro Posts: 225 Member
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    What a great idea!! My bf and I are both in the Canadian military and so I understand all about PT tests (terrible things :P ). With us, as with in most militaries there is a male and a female standard and usually an incentive standard for both sexes as well. You could use those same (or similar) standards for your run (though I'm not sure where you got the T in PHAT from Run???
  • kikimichelle88
    kikimichelle88 Posts: 21
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    Good idea! For the run i would make it laps finished over time. If you can do say 10 laps but slower then your hubs and he can only do 8 but faster you still completed more distance!
  • jlowensby
    jlowensby Posts: 142
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    it is indeed a great idea...
  • Mikesrobin
    Mikesrobin Posts: 44 Member
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    This is a great idea. My husband and I have started to workout together and is a great help when you have that support. We both were in the Navy for many years and have both retired. That is where our weight issues came in. It is easy when you have to PT every day to stay in shape but once you retire you do not have anyone telling you to exercise. This is why we have both started working out together so we cant give excuses. :bigsmile:

    I know all military have standards for Men and Women so you could go by the standards of service your spouse is in. Another idea would be instead of running have a swimming contest. I know swimming is a little more gender neutral.

    This is a great idea to keep you busy while he is deployed.

    Good Luck!
  • Habehandful
    Habehandful Posts: 41 Member
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    Thank you everyone for your encouraging words and support.

    Laps is a great idea for the running.
    Swimming might have worked although our post does not have a pool, and being overseas we would have to go to an indoor pool and the pools are usually packed.

    I thought about using the standards of the PT test but since my husband is always in the high 290s (the highest is 300 I think) Not trying to show off I promise)- I figured gosh- I could never beat that. And now that its gender neutral ....I will be sucking wind. I do not want to sell myself short. I know if I worked hard enough I could do it. So with that being said, I am going to push myself for sure although I don't think we will use the military PT standards yet. NEvertheless, if the challenge works out, I think my husband and I will up the stakes, because, I know, he will be deploying again.

    I also would like to get my son involved but he is so young he just might look at my husband and I and think we are nuts. But we will see. lol

    But thanks again everyone for all your input!
  • 8rules
    8rules Posts: 169
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    Check out http://hundredpushups.com/ for programs for almost every one of those goals that work very well.

    They even have iPhone apps like MFP so you can track your progress and be guided through the sets and reps of your workouts, and be reminded by text message its chin up day, or pushup day, etc...
  • Habehandful
    Habehandful Posts: 41 Member
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    Check out http://hundredpushups.com/ for programs for almost every one of those goals that work very well.

    They even have iPhone apps like MFP so you can track your progress and be guided through the sets and reps of your workouts, and be reminded by text message its chin up day, or pushup day, etc...

    Hey thanks!
    Hopefully my husband can get this site downrange. Im sure he would love to see it too.
    Good luck to you!

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