Couples that sweat together stay together.
OK. That line has been used countless times before, but Saturday is Sweetest Day and something many couples forget is how important exercise is for a happy relationship.
The data supporting the theory goes back decades:
- Couples who jointly participated in an exciting physical challenge or activity reported feeling more satisfied with their relationships and more in love with their partner (Aron, Norman, Aron & Heyman, 2000)
- Working out together increases bonding. People subconsciously begin mimicking the pace and rhythm of their partners. Nonverbal mimicry helps people feel emotionally attuned with one another (Stel & Vonk, 2010).
- In 2013, The University College of London released a study of 3,700 couples who were married or living together over a 13-year span. Researchers found 70 percent of those couples who worked out together were still exercising two years later versus only 25 percent of those who tried exercising separately.
Thinker Ventures works with (and several of us are members of) CrossFit Supercell in Rockford, Illinois. Supercell realizes how important it is not just for couples to exercise together but families. Of its 102 active members, 60 are couples or family memberships. It is Winnebago County’s only CrossFit and chiropractic wellness center and it tailors its membership fees to benefit to benefit families. It holds a free CrossFit challenge every Saturday morning for anyone who wants to get started on being healthier.
You don’t have to join Supercell to supercharge your relationship. On Saturday, instead of sweets, try buying some sweats and head to the gym together.
Jason Todd