Valentine’s Day is right on the doorstep and, taking advantage of the atmosphere of romance and complicity, there’s nothing better than realizing whether or not you should share everything with your better half: even your training sessions !
There are more and more “fit couples” – couples who decided to embark on a journey together for physical well-being, improving their food and training more regularly. But is there really any benefit to doing this walk in pairs, instead of alone?
Sik Nutrition, a team of coaches and personal trainers who help you achieve your nutritional and physical goals without complications, went to find out what some studies have already done and today they tell you everything !
What does Science say?
Doctor Wayne Andersen, one of the most vocal voices in the USA against obesity, said in a Coaching and Lifestyle program in which he is involved:
“In my 10 years of experience assessing what causes them for permanent long-term changes associated with health and fitness, the more factor important is to have a support system ”.
Team Sik Nutrition has also realized over time that, more than training plans or healthy eating, it is the personalized support that it gives to the athletes it monitors that really guarantee their success. The need to have someone’s support is, according to Doctor Wayne, something that is part of our instinct:
“We are social animals, we seek the company and encouragement of others mainly while we are doing this work.”
This support can be given by anyone: a friend, a coach or even by your boyfriend. In addition, there are studies who guarantee that the love relationship also benefits from this joint work, with results that demonstrate that couples were more satisfied and passionate about their partner after starting an exercise program together. The most interesting thing is that physical activity in which they were involved took only 7 minutes!
On the other hand, the presence of the partner also improves the efficiency of your training. A study related to social psychology reveals that the presence of someone affects your ability to do an activity, such as training in the gym, if this is an activity that you have already mastered. So, training with your better half is an excellent way to improve your performance, when one of you already has some experience.
Likewise, another study revealed that men feel more concerned about their bodies when their girlfriends also enjoy an active and healthy life. In fact, by sharing with someone you like the successes and difficulties of this journey, you gain extra support and guarantees more easily than you miss a single training.
Performing exercise together also allows imitation behaviors, that is, if one of you runs faster, the other will automatically accelerate your pace. This is called mimicry and several studies prove that this behavior tends to lead to the union of the couple at the emotional, making relationships stronger and deeper.
Training together can be beneficial, but…
If you’ve already worn the leggings and your favorite top to run to the gym to train with your boyfriend, first finish reading this article!
Yeah, not all good love partners are really good training partners!
Assess well if the person you choose to train is willing to take physical activity seriously. Sometimes, there are people who just don’t like to train and end up distracting or even discouraging you. In addition, having an overexperienced or much more experienced training partner can also condition your results.
For example, a study related to obtaining external self-regulation revealed that knowing that we have someone helping us in a given task weakens the motivation to achieve that same goal .
So, always remember to use your boyfriend’s help and company as something stimulating, not as a “cane”!
Action Plan
If you want to optimize your training together, there are several action plans:
- Friends / Colleagues System
Training in a group of two, whether friends or colleague, is perfect for anyone who is ashamed or lazy to go to the gym alone or wants to spend more time with these people.
Having a training buddy increases the likelihood of being consistent with the plan, however always pay attention if your training buddy is a “whimper”, often misses the deal or doesn’t give you the positive energy you need.
- Group System
Going to the gym with a small group of people who have the same goal, like running at the same time or going to the same group classes, can stimulate the results obtained.
There are several well-known groups, such as Weight watchers or even the Private Group of Team Sik Nutrition, that demonstrate the benefits of performing group movements. Building cohesive communities, in which the sense of belonging is very clear, increases the likelihood of reaching goals.
- Peer System
This is the best system to celebrate Valentine’s Day, no matter if they are training partners or just go together at the same time!
In addition to improvements in training, they end up spending more quality time together, in the gym and in post-workout relaxation moments.
Having your boyfriend as a training partner, if he also loves to train, is a great asset. He will support you, give you tips and motivate you, all while training with you. However, don’t forget to also motivate your partner to give his / her best and be your biggest support, especially on days when motivation is not high.
Makes exercise and nutrition more fun, easier to manage over time and gains the extra motivation you need from something essential in any relationship: joint goals .
And by the way, happy Valentine’s Day!
