The best exercises to do as a couple are the ones where you can move side by side at your own level: brisk walks, swimming, rowing or paddling, climbing, and a few simple circuits. Each person works to their own ability, and you get time together without anyone feeling held back.
What makes an exercise good for two
A good couple's exercise has three things going for it. You can talk, or at least keep each other company. Each person can scale it up or down without stopping the other. And the risk is low if one of you has an off day.
That rules out some popular ideas. Anything where one person carries, lifts or supports the other's body weight is a poor fit unless you've been taught how. Skip those and pick exercises where you each carry your own load.
Walking and hill hikes
This is the easiest place to start. A brisk walk lets you chat, and a hill makes it harder for whoever wants more, while the other simply takes a bit longer.
- Set the pace by the slower person for the first 10 minutes, then let the stronger walker add small extras such as stairs or an incline.
- Pick a loop so either of you can cut it short.
- Bring water and check the weather. In an Australian summer, go early.
If you're planning a walking date rather than a workout, our guide to Perth trails and parks for a walking date has ideas on what to bring and how to plan it.
Swimming, rowing and paddling
Water suits mixed levels well, because you can swim laps in neighbouring lanes and meet at the wall. A rowing machine works the same way: two machines side by side, each at your own effort.
Paddling together on a calm stretch of water, in a double kayak or on separate boards, is a good option when you want something that feels more like an outing than a session. Check conditions, wear a flotation device where it's recommended, and tell someone your plan.
Climbing with a belay partner
Indoor climbing builds trust in a very direct way, because one person holds the rope for the other. It also scales easily. Each of you picks routes that suit you and cheers the other on.
Take an induction or a first-timer class so you both learn the safety checks properly. Don't improvise belaying from a video.
Spotting and partner stretching
If you both lift, you can be each other's spotter on lifts that call for one, such as the bench press. Agree on a signal before the first set, and learn what a spotter should and shouldn't do. Our bench press basics covers setup and safety.
After a session, easy stretching is a nice shared habit. Keep it gentle. Don't push on anyone's limbs, and stop the moment someone says so.
Simple circuits with your own loads
A circuit is the most flexible option. Pick four or five movements, such as squats, step-ups, rows with light weights, push-ups from the knees or toes and planks. Each of you does your own reps, with your own weights, and you rotate through together.
- Choose movements you both already know.
- Work for a set time, not a set number of reps, so nobody waits long.
- Use different weights, or different versions of the same move.
- Finish together with a cool-down walk.
Separate numbers are completely fine. If you want to track progress, how to track your lifts shows a simple way to keep your own records.
What to skip
Some exercises are better left out of couple's sessions altogether.
- Piggyback squats, partner carries or any move that loads one person's body on the other. The risk to backs, knees and shoulders isn't worth it.
- Competitions on lifts, unless you both enjoy it. Turning a shared session into a scoreboard can sour things quickly.
- Pushing someone to do more than they want. Training together should make the session better, not heavier.
If either of you has an injury, a health condition or hasn't exercised in a while, check with a doctor or physio before you start.
Keep it a choice, not a rule
Doing everything together isn't a sign of a good relationship, and training apart isn't a bad sign either. Many couples mix shared sessions with solo ones. If you're working out how that mix looks for you, training together as a couple covers how to plan it and how to talk about it kindly.
Start with one shared session a week. If you both look forward to it, you've found the right exercise.