By Josh Axelrod > freshman > University of Maryland > Journalism, Photo by Method Fitness
Anyone who watched the classic sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond should remember the episode where Debra convinces Ray to go golfing with her. Their little excursion turns into an unmitigated disaster, perpetuating the idea that couples should not participate in competitive activities together without risking their relationship and sanity.
While couples golfing together may not be recommended to anyone who wants to continue liking their significant other, that does not mean that a man and a woman cannot bond through physical activity. If your boyfriend is getting flabby or your girlfriend is feeling insecure about her body, why not help motivate them to work out by doing it with them?
“ [My girlfriend] Phebe and I actually work out together quite often because we are both active people and don’t like just sitting around watching movies,” said Syracuse University freshman Daniel Childs. “Some of the stuff we do includes running the trails, playing tennis, games of H.O.R.S.E, and we really enjoy taking my dog to the park and walking her and running around with her.”
Kent State University freshman Taylor Shanower works out with her boyfriend to keep things from growing stale. “We go on walks together and to the recreation center sometimes to swim. He’s going to teach me to shoot hoops when it warms up. We try to do more than just hang out. A change of scenery keeps things fun.”
The biggest problem some couples face when trying to work out together is their ability (or lack thereof) to keep their hands off of each other. “Once [my girlfriend and I] went to the park to go for a run but we just got really distracted and ended up just tackling each other,” said Johns Hopkins freshman Yoni Krupski.
That probably provided just as solid of a work out for both of them.
