Couple training: discover the benefits

This text was written by a TecMundo columnist; Learn more at the end.

We spend most of our lives, especially from the age of 20 onwards, with our romantic relationship partner. Compared to other companies such as parents, siblings and relatives, children, friends or co-workers, the daily time spent with a partner appears to be longer and more stable (about 3 to 4 hours per day), also increasing from age 60 or retirement.

Some activities include Leisure activities that couples can enjoy together, such as physical exercise. Is it true that “those who train together grow together”? Some studies answer this question.

Can exercise improve relationships?

Researchers followed 191 couples for two weeks to learn about the benefits of exercising individually or as a couple to their relationships. Co-education provided a number of benefits.

These days, in addition to the decrease in the number of negative events reported by spouses, there has also been an increase in positive marital events. These days, husbands and wives were getting more daily satisfaction from their relationships.

Exercise is associated with better emotional regulation, which may have contributed to this result. The authors suggest that on days when the couple experiences negative interactions, they may decide to train together to change how they feel.

I admit I don’t know if this is a good idea or not. They attempt to explain how these benefits occur for couples. The first is that when a couple shares training time, they spend more time talking. For couples with children, this period is perhaps rare and therefore valuable.

During the exercise, couples can also express their commitment and interest in the relationship. As a physiological mechanism, there is an increase in oxytocin levels and vagal tone.

What happens when one couple trains and the other doesn’t?

But we can’t always assume that both people are physically active, and it’s not uncommon for both or just one of them to exercise regularly, although that person probably wants their partner to be an exerciser as well.

After all, how do you convince someone? Maybe persuade isn’t the right word. In a study examining whether social pressure to exercise works among romantic partners, pressures such as a partner criticizing or nagging exercise behavior were associated with more daily stress and less exercise and energy expenditure in relationships. Persuasion (e.g., “My partner encourages me to exercise”) was associated with positive outcomes, with exercising more often and expending more energy.

If you want your partner to exercise and live a healthier life, it seems that applying pressure works against him and the best strategy is to persuade him. Let science help you and be at your fingertips.

spousal support

Pelotas – In a study conducted with 390 people in 26 gyms in Rio Grande do Sul, it was seen that high social support received from the spouse was associated with more physical activity. People who received more social support from another person engaged in more minutes of physical activity and were more likely to meet the World Health Organization’s recommendation of 300 minutes of physical activity per week.

Mainly three factors can explain this relationship:

1. People can exercise based on what they see others doing. The actions of those close to us and those we admire suggest that the practiced behavior, such as exercise, is desirable and normal.

2. Additionally, exhibiting the same behaviors as a loved one gives the opportunity to spend time together and provides a topic for conversation.

3. We are also likely to seek out romantic partners who are similar to us or exhibit similar health behaviors, such as eating and physical activity habits.

“In practice, I recommend that between couples each have a special moment to exercise routinely. Exercise is a time that allows for solitude, a positive experience of aloneness. Something that many couples, especially lovers, sometimes do not even have that.”

Each person has their own goals, exercise methods, training partners, time, training logistics (sometimes in gyms or different environments), and eventually they can collaborate with each other with social support. We are expected to have better social interactions with friends and family on the days we exercise.

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Fábio Dominski He holds a PhD in Human Movement Sciences and a degree in Physical Education from Santa Catarina State University (UDESC). He is a university professor and researcher at the Laboratory of Sport and Exercise Psychology (LAPE/UDESC). he does scientific dissemination on social media and in podcast available on Spotify. Author of Physical Exercise and Science – Facts and Myths.