How Partner Workouts Can Build Stronger Bonds
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Do you think your workouts could bring you closer to your partner? What if your fitness routine is not only good for your health but it could also be the secret to deepening your bond? In this episode of Embrace Your Real, I dive into the hidden treasures of working out with your significant other. Not only can it boost your physical health, but it can also transform your relationship into a stronger, more connected one.
I’ll talk about how exercising together increases accountability, enhances communication, and fosters a deeper emotional connection. I’ll even share personal stories of how working out with my husband has positively impacted our relationship. Plus, you’ll learn practical ways to make fitness a consistent and fun + so much more!
I also discuss:
(03:41) Partner Workout Benefits and Tips
(07:00) Strengthening Your Relationship Through Fitness
(7:41) Joint Workout Partner Challenge
(14:48) Encouraging Partner Fitness Together
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Transcript:
[00:00:00] Hey there, beautiful human. You're listening to Embrace Your Real with Me, Julie Ledbetter. A podcast where I empower you to just be you with each episode and issue a dose of real talk and actionable advice for. [00:00:12]
[00:00:12] Building your confidence, honoring your body and. [00:00:15]
[00:00:15] Unconditionally loving your authentic self. Stay tuned. If you're ready to embrace your real, let's get hands, girl. Hello and welcome back to. [00:00:29]
[00:00:29] Another episode on the Embrace Your podcast. Have you ever thought about working out with your partner like some of you guys do this and you've done this from the very beginning? Other of you guys are like, Absolutely not. I don't ever want to work out with my partner. So wherever you fall on the spectrum, I want to encourage you to try it out just for a week. Like, I genuinely think that there is so much that can come from working out with your partner, even if this is like a season that you're like, okay, for the next, you know, month or two months, I want to try this and just see how it works. And if it doesn't work at all, then we'll go back to working out separately. Obviously, if you're in a season of life where you just can't do that, I want to encourage you that there will be a season again, that you can maybe your kids are small, maybe work's crazy right now and it's just not feasible for you to be able to work, you know, work out with your partner on a regular basis. Or maybe this is just an encouragement for you to start implementing that like maybe 1 or 2 times a week. Either way, I truly believe that it is so powerful to be able to share that passion of wanting to exercise and wanting to become healthy and wanting to implement a healthier lifestyle with your significant others. I mean, studies have shown that exercising together is an amazing way to not only enjoy each other's company, but also help to hold each other accountable and help to stay motivated and consistent and committed to your goals. And so that's why in today's episode, I want to dive into seven practical ways to include your partner in your fitness routine. But before we do, I want to kind of discuss how to honor your body with movement, with your partner. And I want to share why this can be a huge benefit to your relationship and your health. Like recent studies suggest that couples who work out not only experience improved physical health, but also enjoy greater relationship satisfaction and overall happiness. I truly believe this. Like I personally have worked out with Joshua prior to dumbbell workouts at home and just recently. Now that we have a newborn at home and we're really trying to utilize our nap times, we're both working out again down in our basement together and it has been so sweet. It's been such a sweet season and I truly believe that sweating it out together can really create so much of a deeper connection between the two of you and also can help to boost that communication and strengthen your bond. And let's be real like that is truly the foundation of a solid relationship. And there is actually another huge benefit of working out, which is obviously accountability. Right? One study published in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness even found that couples who engage in physical activities together are more likely to stick to their fitness routines and achieve their health goals as they provide each other with the accountability and motivation that they need to keep going. So like, think about this. If your partner is always sitting on the couch watching TV, you will likely be doing that as well. But if your partner is hitting the gym or hitting their workouts, you will likely want to do that as well. We take on the habits of our partners and so when you're able to work out together to adopt similar habits, you're going to likely be more successful long term because you're able to stay accountable. And exercising with your partner doesn't just benefit your fitness, right? It can also bring this sense of teamwork and shared achievement, which again, can really help to nurture and deepen the relationship that you have together. And the thing is, a lot of people think, you know, well, what if me and my partner do totally different workouts? Joshua and I are doing totally different workouts right now in our basement, but we're still sharing the space, We're still sharing that time together. And even though we're following different workout plans, we're able to share that time together and and hold each other accountable and just strengthen. I've noticed that it has strengthened our communication so much. So whether you are hitting a workout in your basement, you're going to the gym to workout. You're going on a run. Having a partner by your side can be a huge benefit overall. Not only will allow you to challenge each other, right. And in your progress and in your plans, but it also will help you to be able to celebrate each other's progress and hold each other accountable. But like, how do you actually start working out together? Like, what does that actually look like? There are countless ways to kind of integrate your partner into your fitness routine, and it doesn't have to be super complicated. So I kind of want to dive into some steps that are very actionable to help you bring you and your significant other along in this fitness journey together. Tip number one is to set 2 to 3 days a week on the calendar and stick to it. Like think about this like a date, right? I want you to treat it like a commitment. So choose 2 to 3 specific days each week or maybe a few times a month to start out with and mark them on a calendar by scheduling these workout sessions in advance. You're making this mutual agreement to prioritize your health and well-being together. And as you know, consistency is key. To sticking to those plan days can help turn the exercise into this shared habit rather than something that you might do. You know, when time allows, which we all know that time will not allow it if we don't allow the time to happen. Right? And so knowing that you have a workout date with your partner, this can create this sense of accountability and help you. You guys to motivate each other to show up even when you're not feeling particularly enthusiastic about that workout number, to find a workout routine to follow together. So again, you can absolutely do this together or you can follow separate workout routines. I have found if you've never worked out together or that's not like a habit of yours, then you can absolutely do this similar workout routine. Like maybe you've been crashing your workouts and your husband's been wanting to get into this but just doesn't know what to do. If you've been following, like, let's say, the Movement with Julia app dumbbell workouts, I program five brand new workouts every single week. Now they are. The majority of my workout community is women. So I always say, you know, double workouts for women. But I have to tell you that, you know, demo workouts are demo workouts. So if your husband wants to do it, he can absolutely jump. And people ask all the time, can my husband do these workouts? Absolutely. Josh is actually following another plan, but he's also implementing a Julie workouts about 1 to 3 times a week. And so it's been a really sweet to be able to do some of the workouts together when time allows and when he plans that into the schedule. You can absolutely do those workouts together. And you know, obviously if your guy starts the workout program, he might start at a heavier weight mate. Who knows? Maybe you're maybe you're crushing it. Maybe you're starting at the heavier weight. Either way, guys can definitely do this. And all you have to do genuinely is open up the app and the workouts are scheduled for you. There's a 60 minute or a 30 minute option depending on your time constraints. There's video demonstrations for every single movement. There's alternate exercises. You can absolutely do this together. And plus, when you are both following a program, it has been proven that you will likely see better results because you're both putting in the work together. You're doing the same workout plan, you're holding each other accountable and you can also like look forward to that time. Another thing too is if you are following different workout plans but you're still wanting to work out together, maybe you separately do your own workout, but then you say like, Let's go for a walk or let's do a bike ride or let's go for, you know, workout day somewhere outside, go for a hike, whatever it is, you're able to enjoy that outside of your standard workout with your significant other number three, set up a workout circuit and go through together. So whether you are doing the workout plan or maybe you're not following it, you're doing it separately, you can absolutely try to do a circuit together. So let's say, for example, your husband is doing like he's just focusing on deadlifts and squats and that's his main workout. So maybe he's doing like, you know, 4 to 6 sets of deadlifts and then 4 to 6 sets of squats and calling it a day. Or you can encourage him to just say, hey, let's go through a circuit together. So I know you want to do deadlifts and squats, maybe try to do, you know, 2 to 3 sets of those. And then I want you to, you know, do this circuit with me or incorporate this superset with me. And that is an awesome, simple way for you to incorporate something together. And you can even challenge each other. So maybe it's like you pull out, you know, a superset from your movement, which you'll work out on a lower body day and say, I know you're doing deadlifts and squats, but let's do, you know, hamstring curls and another exercise like reverse lunges or curtsy lunges, that's a superset that you guys can do together and challenge each other and say, okay, we're going to try and get this done. I like push me to make sure I get all of my sets and reps in and I'm going to push you and you can work through those exercises together and that can be super fun and engaging to engage one another. Number four is to set goals together so you guys know that I like goal setting. I think it's super powerful. I think it's a great way to stay motivated. And so when you are setting goals together, it can be even more powerful because you're able to measure and monitor progress alongside of someone that is your person right here. So taking some time to discuss. All right. In this season of life, what are my you know, what are my fitness goals that I want to accomplish in the next month or in the next two months or by the end of the year? And so that way you're able to really come together and and talk about it, talk about the goals that you have and hold each other accountable, whether this is a certain number of workouts that you want to complete in a month. This is, you know, you training for a specific race or achieving a specific fitness milestone, whatever it is. Setting goals together will allow you to stay accountable and celebrate those achievements along the way, which again, can also help to strengthen that bond. Again, I want to say, because you guys know I'm all about sustainable fitness, is when you are setting these goals, I want to make sure that you are doing it in a realistic way and I want to make sure it's meaningful to both of you guys. So don't forget to set the meaningful goals. So the reason behind the why, behind your goals and that way you're able to track your progress and regularly see how far you are and how far you've come from when you started. Remember that work? Towards shared goals. This can be also a great way to build trust, support each other and create lasting memories. If you are looking for how to set goals and achieve them, I actually did an episode on this that is super cut and dry. Like it's a very like this is how to set and actually achieve your goals. It's episode 86 and I will go ahead and link that in the show notes below. And then I also did another episode that I think is super beneficial because when we set fitness goals, for some reason, we always attach that with a weight and I think that that can be harmful. And so I did an episode that I think you'll find helpful. It's episode 256. It's called Five Ways to Monitor Your Progress Without This Scale. So I'm going to go ahead and link that as well, because I think that that will be very beneficial for you as you were setting these goals. Just kind of look at the bigger picture and remember, it's not always about the weight scale. Number five, celebrate every win. So don't forget to celebrate every milestone together. Fitness goals aren't just about the hard work. They're also a great motive to celebrate. So if you and your partner have been super consistent with your healthy habits, take a well-deserved rest day. Do something you both love. Go to your favorite restaurant, Netflix and Chill. That time together will feel so much deeper because you feel this sense of accomplishment together and it will be cherished much more deeply. So whether you're planning a special date night, you're taking a weekend trip, or you're just treating yourselves to a little reward, maybe it's a trip out to Shiels or to Dick's Sporting Goods to get some new fitness gear. Whatever it is, celebrating your achievements can make that journey a lot more enjoyable. Number six Hold each other accountable. This is so, so important. I want you to think of your fitness journey as a team effort. So just like any strong partnership, achieving shared goals means that you are supporting each other, especially when the going gets tough. Right? Life's going to happen. It's not if it's when. So reminding your partner of their progress and encouraging them to stick with it even when they feel like giving up. When your partner doesn't want to show up, be there to remind them of their why and what they're doing and why they're doing it. Remind them of what their goals are. Remind them of how great they'll feel afterwards, and also remind them of how great it is to spend that time together. On the flip side, you want to ask them and they will do that for you on the days that you don't want to do that. And so just having that mutual accountability and support built in is so, so important. And there's no better partner than your life partner, right? So make it a weekly habit to check in with each other, review kind of your progress, review your goals and adjust them as needed. And last but not least, number seven, make a fun playlist to keep those vibes high, right? It is so, so fun to have some something that you both and this could totally backfire if you guys don't. You know, wine prefers to listen to podcasts or one prefers to watch a show or whatever it is. But I have to tell you that when you're able to just jam out together, it can be so helpful and it can be so fun and you can just be jamming to your favorite songs and that can be a great time together so you can, you know, make a playlist together and that can be kind of your workout playlist that you guys listen to. And it could just be, Hey, I'm going to add, you know, 15 songs, you add 15 songs, we'll put it on shuffle and we'll go through it. And that way we're able to each know that we're going to be able to listen to music that we love. So now that we kind of know, you know, what it looks like to incorporate your partner into your fitness journey, the question still remains for those of you who are like, okay, that's great if your partner wants to join you on this, but what if my partner doesn't? What if they have no interest? I wanted to give you a couple of tips that like might help you in trying to just encourage them and change their mind and also grow in their interest in joining you. So number one is to lead by example. One of the most effective ways to spark your partner's interest in working out is to lead by example. Show them how much you enjoy being active, that it positively impacts your mood, your energy levels, your overall wellbeing. Instead of pushing you to join them. Focus on being enthusiastic about your workouts and sharing the benefits that you're experiencing because you're staying committed to your program and to your goals over time. I really think that this is one of the most powerful ways that you can get them interested in involved is because they will become curious. They will they will become curious about your newfound energy, your improve fitness, and that could inspire them to get involved themselves. Number two, make it about fun, not just about fitness. Now, if you're if your partner is not naturally drawn to traditional workouts, really try to focus on activities that are fun and engaging rather than just exercise. Right? Suggest activities that feel less like a workout and more just of movement. So whether this is hiking, this is playing a sport, whether it's, you know, softball, a softball league or a soccer league or a leisurely bike ride, the key is to find something that they enjoy that also happens to be, you know, physical activity, making fitness fun and helping them to see exercise in a new light. And it would likely make. Motivate them to get moving without feeling this additional pressure because it's not a quote unquote, traditional workout. And who knows? That could open the door in the future for them to join you in a dumbbell only workout. Right. Number three, start small and just keep it very, very simple. So if your partner is new to exercise or maybe hasn't been active in a long time, I want you to start small and start with very simple activities that feel very manageable. Have them workout with you one day a week for 30 minutes or, you know, start with ten minutes and then say, I mean, isn't it feel good? Let's try for 15, Let's try for 20. And then before, you know, you're at that 30 minute mark, suggest maybe a short walk around the neighborhood after dinner or a quick stretch in the morning by starting with a low intensity, very low commitment in terms of time wise, approachable activities, you're going to make it feel easier for them to get started without feeling this feeling of complete overwhelm. So start with these consistent efforts, and I trust me when I tell you it will help them to build confidence and it will also lay the foundation for more regular workouts in the future. Number four, use positive reinforcement and encouragement. This is so, so important. This is your person. And who doesn't love having that encouragement, right? So I want you to compliment them when they are engaging in any sort of form of physical activity and express appreciation for their effort. Avoid the nagging or making them feel guilty about not working out. Instead, I want you to encourage them by highlighting the benefits of moving more and being active. Having that positive reinforcement and gentle encouragement is going to make them feel super supported and likely going to encourage them to continue to participate in whatever it is that they've been doing. Number five, make it a social activity. Working out does not have to be in, you know, just you two together. It can be you and friends and family. You can, you know, encourage people or invite people to participate with you. Maybe. Maybe it's like a big, you know, on Saturdays or on Sundays, you have family come over and you make it this big thing if that's your vibe, or maybe you can encourage them to participate in like a group sport, whether that is softball, a softball league or a soccer league or, you know, a tennis league, whatever it is, the paddle. I mean, there are so many pickleball. There are so many different activities that can be social and that can be fun. And the social aspect can make exercising more way more enjoyable and less intimidating for your partner. I have seen just in on social media and then also in my real life, Pickleball is like one of the most social activities that's like so low. It's low impact. I mean, you get a good workout in, but it's low impact, very social. So if you are or your partner is like the very social type of person, that may be a great option for them to engage in physical activity and a great way to not only spend time together, but also start working towards, you know, building up that time, engaging in physical activity on a weekly basis. Number six, focus on the benefits that matter to them. This is arguably one of the most important things to do. So instead of talking about fitness in terms of weight loss or muscle gain, I want you to focus on the benefits that might resonate more with your partner. So if they care about reducing stress or maybe they've talked about like, I just need to improve my sleep, boost their mood, emphasize how regular exercise can really help with those areas and make the conversation about what matters most to them and how exercise can actually encourage them to reach those things. Right? Right. Improving sleep or boosting their mood or reducing stress. And it can actually become you can make exercise more relevant and appealing to them by focusing on the area of their life that they maybe just like continue to complain about and show them how fitness can help to alleviate that. And one thing that also is very, very helpful that you can do is just a simple nudge. You can send them a podcast episode from like Andrew Huberman is great, Tim Ferriss is great, a person that maybe they admire and look up to in a different area of life, Like Tim Ferriss is very, you know, he talks about and same with Andrew Human. They talk about so many different topics, but someone that they admire and look up to you, whether they hear it from them. Typically when your partner hears it from somebody else, they resonate with it a little bit more because oftentimes if we're the one to tell them, we're always the one to tell them about something, right? And so sometimes it can become very repetitive and we just become numb to what our partner is saying. So we just, you know, say, I listen to this podcast by X, Y and Z, and it was super helpful or I found it super interesting. I'd love to know your thoughts, like you're opening the conversation up there and it's that information is not coming from you, it's actually coming from them. And so maybe they might resonate a little bit more with that. And last but not least, be patient and respect their pace. Remember that everybody's fitness journey is unique and it's super important to remain patient and be very respectful of your. Partners pays if they're not immediately interested. Do not push too hard. Do not get discouraged. Keep inviting them to join you in a lighthearted way and continue enjoying your own fitness journey. Sometimes just knowing that they're there for support without pressure, that might be the nudge that they need to take the first step when they're ready. So I hope that this was helpful. There you have it. Those are my tips on how to get your partner to join your fitness journey or just to kind of nudge them in that direction. The most important thing that you need to know from this episode is that having your partner join you on your fitness journey is not only going to help you deepen your relationship, but it's also going to allow you to likely see some of the best results that you've ever seen because you're staying accountable and consistent. So when you are a good influence on each other, you will likely have a healthier relationship, a healthier body and a healthier mind together. And that's one of the most beautiful things that you can do and that will set you up for a very solid relationship. But if you are not there yet, do not be discouraged. Take some of the tips and maybe implement 1 or 2 things and see how it goes with your partner and see if that's the nudge that they need to get them started and get them moving. So let me quickly recap what I talked about in today's episode. So some ways that you can do this fitness journey together is set some times on the calendar, whether it's a few times a week, a few times a month and stick to it. Number two, find a workout routine to follow together. Or maybe that's just, you know, one day a week you're doing it together or you're at the very least just down there doing separate programs. Number three, set up a workout circuit and go through it together. Number four, set goals together. Number five, celebrate everyone together. Number six, hold each other accountable. And lastly, number seven, make a fun playlist to keep those vibes high. And some of the things that I talked about. If your partner is not into working out. Number one, remember to lead by example. Number two, make it about find not just about fitness. Number three, start small and keep it very, very simple. Number four, use positive reinforcement and encouragement. Number five, make it a social activity if that's something that entices them. Number six, focus on the benefits that matter to them. And last but not least, most important, be patient and respect their pace. If you love this episode, I actually have a great episode. If you are wanting to kind of start this journey together and you're wanting to set up some sort of home set up at home. Honestly, that's one of the most convenient ways that you can get started because it's so it's right there. You don't have to travel a gym. You don't have to take time out of your day to commute to and from. You're able to just do it, whether it's in the morning, whether it's on a lunch break, whether it's at nighttime, whatever it is. But I have an episode for 67, the most budget friendly at home gym set up, so I will go ahead and link that. I hope that that is helpful for you. I think that that will give you some good insights if you are looking to set up something at home that you guys can do together. And also, don't forget to check out the other episodes I talked about Episode 86, seven Steps to Setting and actually Reaching Your Goals. And Episode 256 five Ways to Monitor Your Progress Without the Scale. If you are looking for demo only workouts, I do have a app. It's called The Moment, which usually app. I will go ahead and link that in the show notes, but again, for my brand new workouts every single week released on Saturdays at 12 p.m. out in standard time. So go ahead and link that in there and you guys can follow that workout plan together. It is a great plan. You can do all five workouts, you can do 1 or 2 workouts a week together. Whatever it is, it is there for you and you get brand new fresh workouts, a 60 minute or 30 minute depending on your time constraints, video demonstrations for every single movement, alternate exercises to ensure that all fitness levels can be included so as dominant with joy-con. But that is all that I have for today's episode. I hope that you found this helpful and on site Next accent. [00:24:09]
[00:24:18] All right, sister. That's all I got for you today. But I have two. [00:24:21]
[00:24:22] Things that I need you to. [00:24:23]
[00:24:23] Do. First thing, if you are not already following me on the ground, be sure to do so, Julie. A lot better. Yes, it's with an in the middle for that daily poser about real talk, healthy tips and tricks and. [00:24:34]
[00:24:35] Honest accountability to keep your mind and. [00:24:36]
[00:24:37] Heart in check. The second thing, be sure to subscribe to Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. Thank you so much for joining me. It means the absolute world. [00:24:47]
[00:24:47] And I'm going to leave you with one last thought. The most beautiful. [00:24:50]
[00:24:50] Women that I have met in my life are the ones who are completely confident and secure in being authentically themselves. Remember that beauty goes so much deeper than the surface. So go out there and embrace your real because you're worth it. [00:24:50]