Sweating it out together
IN TIMES WHEN PARTNERS STRUGGLE TO FIND TIME FOR EACH OTHER, WORKING OUT TOGETHER COULD BE A GREAT WAY TO BOND, SAY EXPERTS
Whether it’s eating dinner together or refusing to go to bed angry, couples do several things to make their relationships stronger. Studies have also shown that couples who work out together tend to have healthier and happier relationships. Celebrity couples such as Mira Rajput and Shahid Kapoor, Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez, Bipasha Basu and Karan Singh Grover, Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Naga Chaitanya, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett and Victoria and David Beckham, among several others are known to exercise together. Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khan were also spotted leaving the gym together recently.
JLo even posted a video of herself piggybacked on A-Rod as the latter did push-ups. On the other hand, Beyoncé and Jay-Z made exercising together fun as they wore matching workout gear. Celebrity fitness trainer Kunal Gir reveals, “It’s a fantastic idea to exercise together and I motivate my clients to do the same. You’re 70 per cent more likely to achieve your results if you work out with your partner. The bones and muscles are the same for men and women so the exercises can remain the same. Only the strength varies because of the hormones. For instance, if a man can do squats with 100 kilos, a woman may do it with just 40 kilos.”
Ismail Mustafa, who has trained many well-known filmstars, says that when couples exercise together, they motivate each other. Sometimes when you are too lazy to go to the gym, your partner is a motivation. “Kickboxing, abs workout, functional training and weight training exercises can be done by couples. I have trained several couples who workout together. They can follow the same exercises — what men can do, women can do too,” adds Ismail.
What’s more, according to experts, working out together can be healthier than snuggling together! Just like JLo and A-Rod, one can use their partner as a substitute for weights. Vinod Channa, who is known for transforming Anant Ambani, explains, “Instead of dumbbells, you can carry your partner. A lot of men carry women while exercising. Couples can also do many leg exercises, push-ups and pull-ups. It has become a trend and a lot of videos of couples exercising together are going viral.”
However, fitness expert Dinaz Vervatwala cautions that the requirements for men and women can be quite different. She explains that while couples can go to the gym together, they should train separately. Dinaz adds, “Men and women have different requirements as their bodies are different. So they can undergo personal training. Going to the gym together can save time and is extremely motivational. They can probably run, swim and walk together.” Concurring with Dinaz, fitness trainer, Batul Khan, adds, “It’s a good idea, but the exercise routines can be different. This is because the trainer won’t be able to concentrate on one person. The concentration will be divided if you follow the same routine.”
Instead of dumbbells, you can carry your partner. — VINOD CHANNA, celebrity fitness trainer