Exercising with a friend or partner can help you understand one another’s habits and thought processes.
PHOTO: SINGAPORE SPORTS HUB
If you’re racking your brains, trying to come up with a unique date idea for Valentine’s Day, we recommend planning an exercise date. Enjoying a physical activity with your partner can foster a deeper connection and improve communication. Have you explored Kallang basin by canoe or kayak before? Here’s how having fun and getting fit together can benefit your relationship.
“When couples make the commitment to meet fitness goals together, they forge a stronger connection in which they spend more time together,” explains Aaron Chen Angus, a teacher from Republic Polytechnic’s School of Sports Health and Leisure. Aaron is specialised in sports and athletic management, counselling, strength and conditioning, and several sports.
“Exercising together would also provide an avenue for meaningful communication as well as mutual encouragement, which would strengthen the bonds and the quality of the romantic relationship,” he adds.
Discover each other’s passion
If your partner is passionate about a certain sport or activity, learning that activity with them can reveal an intimate side of them. What is it about this activity that attracts your partner? How does your partner derive happiness and fulfillment from this activity? Similarly, couples can also form stronger bonds when they learn a new sport or engage in a new kind of exercise together.
Develop stronger feelings for each other
“If you do exercise as a couple, the surge of endorphins and serotonin you experience when exercising can enhance feelings of attraction for one another,” says sports and exercise psychologist, Dr Jay-Lee Nair.
Exercise gets your blood rushing and ‘feel good hormones’ flowing. Scientific research has shown that intense activity can make people feel closer. Instead of another Netflix date, drag your partner out to try a new workout or explore a new running route—it’ll energise the both of you and put you in a good mood.
Fall in love with each other’s virtues
Sports, especially team sports, expose our core values. Even non-competitive games can bring out virtues like sportsmanship, compassion, determination, composure and strategic intelligence. Fall in love again with your partner when you see his or her traits that you love, on display on the playing field.
Exercising together can bring out the best in participants and help them communicate better.
PHOTO: SINGAPORE SPORTS HUB
Understand how your partner thinks and feels
Besides bringing out each other’s virtues, playing together helps couples understand each other’s habits and thought processes better. While working towards a common goal, we can learn lessons in patience, understanding and effective communication, which are interpersonal skills that will benefit us in all aspects of life.
Exercise sessions count as couple time too
If you and your partner have busy schedules, exercising together, instead of apart, can count as couple time. For a healthy relationship and healthier you, set aside specific time slots for working out as a couple.
“Research shows that couples who share a hobby, work towards a common goal, and do at least one regular social activity together, are happier and feel more connected in their relationship. Exercising as a couple checks all these boxes.” says Dr Nair.
“If one person in a relationship wants to make big changes to their lifestyle and exercise more often, it can make a dramatic difference to the success of behavior change in the short and long-term, if their partner does it with them. It’s much easier to start the new habit of getting out of bed early when you have a buddy doing the same. When you have your partner there encouraging you and supporting you when you feel like throwing in the towel, it’s the perfect reminder that your partner has your back. This feeling can go a long way in a couples relationship and enhance openness and communication.”
You won’t regret setting aside some time to discover your partner’s favourite activity, or signing up for a new activity together.
PHOTO: SINGAPORE SPORTS HUB
