My lovely, sarcastic boyfriend sent me this article about a month ago: Don’t Bring Her to the Gym.
In this article by James Fell of Askmen.com, he gives “six damn good reasons why working out should either be done solo or with a friend who also stands up to pee.” Classy.
- You Can’t Check Out the Babes
- She’ll Check Out the Babes and Ask How She Compares
- She’ll Distract You
- She Won’t Listen to You Anyway
- You’ll See Her at Her Worst
- You Need Guy Time
(And then he adds this in at the end: “She’s (his wife) got an internationally-recognized black belt in karate, and could quite likely kick my ass.”)
Now, I have to be honest with you, I agree with some of his points. I do check out other women at the gym (as well as other places) as I am curious to know what I look like compared to them. And if you are shaking your head at me saying you don’t do that – shame on you! I know you do! I totally believe that women dress for other women. But that is a whole new argument.
But I also think some of these points are rubbish. See me at my worst? Seriously? If we are talking spouses, we do live together, don’t we? The gym is not my worst.
In a few of my past relationships, I would go to the gym with my boyfriends specifically because we had an agreement that we would work out together and train one another. It helped us push each other harder. This didn’t happen all of the time, but it did happen. So the first time I went to the gym with my current boyfriend, he thought I was insane for thinking we would actually work out together. Both of our faults for not communicating our expectations before hand!
So IITGI community – what do you think? Do you work out with your significant other? Do you think the article by James Fell is correct or ridiculous?
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I think it can be great to work out with your spouse–you automatically have a partner that will shove you out the door on the days you don’t want to go, and vice versa. However, I do recommend against having your spouse train you. Hubster and I tried it with less than stellar results. Constructive criticism doesn’t sound so constructive coming from a spouse!
[Reply]
Diana Reply:
July 7th, 2011 at 2:30 pm
@Becky,
It is never easy training people you know! It always comes out the wrong way!
[Reply]
My husband and I just started working out together – albeit not at the gym; we walk/jog (we’re just getting started) along the levee in town. We love it though. We have the added motivation of living with our workout-partner, so there’s no option of just turning off the phone or faking sick. Plus, I’m with you – even sweaty and red-faced, that’s NOT my worst!
[Reply]
Diana Reply:
July 7th, 2011 at 2:31 pm
@Vee,
I can see where it can totally be a source of inspiration and motivation. If you are sitting on the couch watching TV together, you can push each other to go for a walk instead.
[Reply]
Came here from DC Blogs: This sounds idiotic to me. My wife is a great workout buddy in the sense that we motivate each other to go to the gym, and we go together. But once there? She does her thing and I do mine – it’s not like she stands there spotting me while I benchpress (or vice versa). The closest we get is she’s on a treadmill while I’m on an elliptical, or she’s doing lat pulldowns while I’m across the room on the preacher bench.
[Reply]
Diana Reply:
July 7th, 2011 at 2:33 pm
@Lt. C .,
That’s what I have done with my current boyfriend.
Everyone is different, and obviously the author of that article has seen some couples-working-out-situations go awry!
I agree on the motivation. It depends on how you work together as a couple.
[Reply]
Never ever ever will I work out with my husband. We may go to the gym at the same time, but that’s rare enough. we do different workouts & would get pretty impatient with each other if we tried to do it together. Plus we like our time alone while we drive to/from the gym.
I feel judged even when I know he’s not even whwn he asks if I’m going to tje gym that day., & he doesn’t like to wait around for me since I work out longer than he does.
I need a girl pal who had similar goals ro go with, even ic we are on diff machines & don’t talk to each other during out workouts.
[Reply]