5 Tips for Working Out with Your Partner

Hitting the gym solo might be your cup of tea, but for some, bringing a partner along is a game-changer. Not only does working out with a partner strengthen your body, but it can also provide you with a deepened sense of connectedness (which, by the way, is also really important for your health). 

Since working out with your SO offers a slightly different experience than going solo, we caught up with ISSA Master Trainer Derek Pratt to see how he and fitness model girlfriend Cassie Costa push each other in the gym – and how you can steal their tips. 

Workout together, separately

Working out with a partner doesn’t mean you both need to do the exact same workout. “Some days, we’ll work out next to each other where she’s doing one thing, and I’m doing another,” Pratt says of working out with girlfriend Costa but still having their individual routines. “Her focus isn’t my focus,” he continues, saying that he and Costa will “still work out next to each other. We’ll still push each other and motivate each other, but we won’t be doing the same things.” 

Having those individual routines can provide the perfect balance of spending time together without feeling like you’re giving up your focus. Don’t feel like you need to copy your partner’s workout identically to reap the benefits of getting fit together. 

Push each other to dig deep 

One of the benefits of working out with your partner is that you always have a built-in cheerleader. This can be especially helpful on those days where you need a little extra motivation, or those exercises where you need to dig deep. 

“My legs are very injured from football,” says Pratt, who played college football at the University of Maine. He continues, saying that on leg days, “I have to really dig deep on some of the things we do because we go pretty hard. But when she’s [Costa] doing every rep, I’m not going to quit, and vice versa. We want to make each other better.” 

Pratt says that this is true “even if we’re not working the same muscle groups, we’re still pushing each other.” 

Get comfortable being uncomfortable

Both in and out of the gym, things can get uncomfortable. Experiencing that discomfort with a partner can be monumental in strengthening your relationship – and the gym can provide a great place to experience that discomfort in a controlled environment. 

“You just have to be comfortable being uncomfortable together because fitness is very uncomfortable,” Pratt says. From injuries to tough workouts to those days when you’re just not feeling it, “if you’re able to mentally pass through that discomfort, you have that partner right there,” Pratt says of leaning on your partner to help process through those less-than-pleasant feelings. 

Plus, once you’ve experienced that discomfort in the gym, that strengthened bond translates outside of the weight room, too, as couples that workout together are more likely to be better equipped to handle the many hurdles that arise throughout their relationship. 

Hold each other accountable

One of the biggest advantages of working out with a partner is being able to hold each other accountable. “I’ve never had a partner in my life like her who will hold me accountable. It’s cool because not many people, other than my family, really held me accountable for things in my life. So having a girlfriend who’s just like, ‘snap out of it, you got the respect,’ it’s good,” Pratt says of girlfriend Costa. 

Not only can your partner hold you accountable mentally, but they can help you stick to a routine. “If you have two people fighting for one routine, it’s more realistic,” Pratt says. “If it’s just one person trying to get started every day and being sore and going through it mentally battling by themselves, it’s like, it’s going to suck.” 

The trainer continues, pointing out that you don’t necessarily need a romantic partner to hold you accountable. “If you have someone in your life like a roommate or a best friend, and you’re both single, team up,” he says. Even a coworker, gym buddy, or a member of the same fitness class can help to hold you accountable. 

Embrace the competition 

Nothing like a little friendly competition to help you hit those last few reps, right? 

“We’re competitive in a good way where it’s like, we always want each other to win, and to kill the workout,” Pratt says of the competitive nature between him and Costa. “I’ve never met any girl like her. She’s an animal – super competitive,” he says, explaining that Costa’s competitive nature drives him to push himself even harder. 

Pratt stresses that again, you don’t need to be doing the same exercises or routine to embrace the competition. “Our routines don’t always coexist,” he says but explains that when Costa is “doing legs, I’ll change up the dynamic and I’ll do like, that HIIT-style where it’s a whole different type of work. So I’m not going heavy, but it’s mentally and physically exhausting, so I don’t feel like I’m slacking in that department.” 

He continues saying that when he sees Costa across the gym, “I just know she’s killing it, and that won’t allow me to ever take a break.” 

While training with a partner isn’t everybody’s idea of a good time, there’s no denying that crushing a workout with your SO has more benefits than just boosting your physical fitness. From improving your bond to providing you with extra accountability, working out with your partner can be a rewarding experience for both of you. 

“As your life partner, whether you’re dating someone or married to them, that’s your partner in crime. You’ve got to be able to motivate each other,” Pratt says. And when it comes to him and Costa? “We motivate the sh*t out of each other,” he laughs. 

Want more from Derek Pratt and Cassie Costa? Follow them @derektpratt and @ccosta99, or train with Derek here. 

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