For years, L and I have exercised together. We’ve trained for (short) races together. We’ve power walked around our neighborhood. We’ve jogged with the dogs. We’ve ridden bikes. We’ve suffered through the Shred. The list goes on.
I’ve always wanted us to be that couple that works out together. And we were. But, in the past year or so, due to differing schedules, and my health issues, our power couple workouts have slowly morphed into each of us working out on our own time separately. For the past few months, we have been working out alone almost exclusively, and I think it’s the best thing for us as individuals. Despite all our years of working out together, neither of us was actually getting a “good” workout. We weren’t doing what we enjoyed out of consideration for the other person.
L is an endurance guy. He needs a long, hard workout. He needs to sweat and punch things and get his adrenaline going.
Even before my issues with endometriosis, I enjoyed speed walking to running, yoga to kickboxing, and controlled strength training to heavy duty cardio.
He started to get frustrated when I wanted to take constant breaks when out for a run. I got frustrated when he didn’t want to stretch for twenty minutes and do butt clenches.
I can’t believe I’m just realizing this NOW. It has taken months of us working out separately for me to have this epiphany. We shouldn’t be the couple that works out together! We have a lot of other chances to squeeze in bonding time. And, dare I say it, I think we both really enjoy having our own thing when it comes to fitness. Every couple is different, and I was trying to fit us into a mold that was no longer in our best interests.
You live and you learn.
What do workouts look like in your household? Do you exercise together?
conventionalbliss
TOTES love your blog for this reason. I am sitting here just nodding up and down. Yep, that's us, uh-huh, that's us. LOL.
When we were dating we used to try and play raquetball and other stuff at the gym together. But, D was just like L and needed a long 1-1.5 hour workout. Whereas, I enjoyed going to a class or running for 20 minutes and doing my floor exercises and free weights.
When we moved into the house, we started to do p90x and Jillian together. Workout videos we can do together. But, other workouts created for our own tastes/preferences, we cannot workout together.
Outdoor activities we love to do together, whether it's hiking, biking, walking the dogs, skiing, golfing, swimming, etc. But, not daily workouts. DVDs yes, workouts no.
He's 200 lbs. man at 6'1", I'm a woman at 130 lbs & 5'7". We just have different workout needs and preferences.
Though, neither of us have done much of it recently. :/
Geek in Heels
Not really, because we tend to like different types of workouts (he's more into strength and weight training while I prefer light cardio). That being said, whenever I do need some serious butt-kicking, or would like to add some weights to my routine (err…or the lack thereof), I ask him to help and he is more than happy to.
-J.Darling
We discovered this one too. If you notice, I'm the only one updating our health blog because he's just not driven right now. Sometimes he's into working out, sometimes he's not.
I'm more consistently driven in this area. But I'm also very competitive. So, while he might go to the work out room with me, or play an active video game with me (LOVE Just Dance 2 on the Wii), it became kind of a downer for me to try to keep up with him while working out. I discovered that I need to set my own pace and challenges, and when I work out with others immediately around me, it's hard for me to do. He's also usually exhausted from work when he gets home – It's tough climbing submarine ladders and caring for all the machinery that goes into nuclear weapondary on submarines. So I cut him some slack.
Instead of working out together, I make sure I work out during the day on my own – at least 6 days/week. And I LOVE it. It's become a necessity for me. I have a high stress job and find that my immune system TANKS when I'm stressed out. So going for a walk outside, a run, or throwing in some Just Dance 2 for myself. It's become "me" time and I NEED it.
Thankfully, he's very supportive – and we've decided to give pre-wedding P90X a go again sometime next year.
Amanda
My husband is just now getting in to working out, but we work out separately. I like to use my workout time as quiet, alone time. 🙂
ruthy ann
we often go to the gym together, but walk in two different directions once at the gym, and meet back up 60 minutes later. I'm not the type that likes to get my ass kicked when I work out…my hubby is!
Alycia
My husband is a runner, I am an activity person. So he does his own thing and I do mine, but we've found an activity that we both like [and requires 2 people!] in tennis! So every few days we hit the courts and smash the ball back and forth. It's a great way to motivate each other, without feeling like the other is hindering your work out. :o)
Faith
we go to the gym together {guests are free so it is a smart thing for us} but we mainly do our own thing … once in a while we would workout together but it don't force it.
Vanessa
We use to go to the gym together but then go our separate ways. I'd go and park myself on the elliptical while he went and lifted weights. I'd be on the stationary bike, watching TV to get me through and he'd be out on the track running. Even when we go to the track together, he runs while I walk. It's nice that we can go together but we can't work out together. I can't handle all that he does!
Kellie A.
I completely agree with you! In the beginning, I was a bit hesitant to work out separately but it turned out to be the best thing! We can each go to the gym whenever we wanted, do whatever type of exercises we wanted and then come back home a be together, watching tv or eating dinner. Plus it gives us interesting stories to tell each other about what happened at the gym! =)
Katie
What a timely post for me!
Justin and I actually work out together. We usually do some various weight training followed by cardio for 3 days, and all cardio on the 4th day. I like that we do the weight training together…since we are using the same machines, when he is doing his reps it gives me recovery time, and vice versa.
I do know that he'd probably like to have a free weight buddy to go do more heavy lifting with…but until then, I think our "together" workouts go very well! We're probably not the norm though…