Climbing and partner yoga
In today's time-starved society it's not uncommon for fitness to fall to the bottom of couples' priority lists. With both of your busy schedules, you barely see your spouse as it is. Who could expect you to choose working out over quality time with your mate? The good news is you don't have to. Exercise and quality time with your spouse mix well, particularly when you get creative and find activities you both enjoy.
Here are five fun and fit activities for couples:
Climbing: A vertical dance
Climbing is the perfect activity for adventurous couples. Sacha Aklask, owner of Toronto Climbing Academy and a climber of 34 years, says climbing is a full body workout that couples can do together because it requires working with a partner.
Climbing not only provides good exercise, it can also help couples to improve their communication skills and trust, says Aklask. While climbing, you and your mate are tied to each other, and you must work together to get each other moving up and down the wall safely. The person on the ground (the belayer) must support the climber and advise him/her on what moves to make in order to advance safely in his/her climb. Aklask likens climbing to a "vertical dance" or "vertical game of chess" because it's an activity that uses both body and mind.
Partner yoga: Connect on a new level
According to Penny McGuire, a registered yoga teacher for Yoga Works on Vancouver Island, partner yoga is excellent for couples on many different levels. There are the obvious physical benefits of yoga -- strength, flexibility and balance. But McGuire also stresses that communication improves because, when couples work together to hold poses, they learn how to
"…be very clear about what they need. 'Hon, can you press a little more on my left knee, please? Oh -- little less...perfect! Thank you'."
Yoga can also help you to read your partner's body language better, and that can be helpful in your daily life and even in the bedroom. "We learn to be more receptive to our bodies and discover new 'treats' and favourite spots, and we can communicate in a way that our partner is happy to please and respond." According to McGuire, yoga also stimulates intimacy for couples because they're breathing and stretching against each other in new ways.
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