In my family, we value our health. Being married to a cook means eating seriously delicious meals every day, but my wife Chloe isn’t just an excellent cook—she cares about sourcing quality ingredients and creating meals that are genuinely healthy. As well as this, we like to move our bodies and stay fit. To be honest, she enjoys it more than I do. I do it purely because I know it’s good for me and contributes to my overall health.

We obviously have things we like to do on our own. For me, it’s surfing if I can get there, going for a run, or hitting the gym and lifting weights (really just sitting around and enjoying the space). Chloe is a Pilates instructor, so she can’t exactly avoid doing Pilates, but she also loves HIIT or strength training.

In general, I don’t really like doing anything competitive with my wife unless I’m fully convinced I can win. I played Monopoly with her recently and absolutely crushed her—left her begging on the street. It was a real joy. So when it comes to exercise, I don’t naturally gravitate toward doing it with her. She was a serious athlete in school and is just a generally high-performing individual who doesn’t let anything get in the way of making the most of life. On the other hand, I take a more coddling approach with myself—keeping things pleasurable and not too challenging (unless I know I’m guaranteed to win!). Don’t worry, I see a therapist.

Despite our differences, I’ve come to love getting sweaty (stop picturing us naked) with my wife and busting out a once-a-week HIIT session. Aside from the obvious health benefits, here are five reasons why working out with your partner might be beneficial:

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1. Quality Time Together

Despite our different approaches to life, working out together gives us a chance to spend quality time with each other. It’s a way to connect on a deeper level, away from the usual daily grind (and the cats we’re responsible for herding, aka our children).

2. Shared Accomplishment

Completing a challenging workout together gives us a shared sense of accomplishment. Even if I’m not as keen on the workout itself, knowing we’ve tackled something tough as a team is pretty satisfying. Teamwork really does make the dream work!

3. Healthy Competition

While I usually steer clear of competing with Chloe (again, unless I’m convinced that victory is guaranteed), working out together introduces a fun, low-key level of competition. It pushes me to try harder, even if I’m just aiming to keep up with her (which is most of the time).

4. Balancing Our Differences

Our different fitness levels and approaches actually complement each other. Chloe’s intensity motivates me to push past my comfort zone, while my laid-back attitude might remind her to enjoy the process a bit more. Generally, she’s just laughing at me or rolling her eyes at my slackness.

5. Mutual Motivation

Seeing Chloe’s dedication to fitness and health inspires me to stay committed. Her energy is contagious, and it helps me stay on track with my own fitness goals, even if I’m not as naturally inclined to work out. Basically, I do an actual workout when we train together as opposed to doing a set, taking a break, doing a set, having a sauna, and then going home.

Talk about habit stacking! But in all seriousness, it’s a game changer and a great way to connect while attending to your health. We get to chat through logistical or relational issues while being distracted enough by trying to breathe that we move through things with more ease and clarity. Having a young family means it’s hard for us to find the time to do something together, but this way, we’re killing two birds with one stone—and more importantly, not the kids or each other.

For more to keep you motivated check out No, You're Not Too Manly For Pilates or 5 Game-Changing Benefits of High-Intensity Interval Training!

Also, bring your partner and come and join us for a pilates session at one of our studios in Brisbane or online!

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