Working out with a spouse leads to better communication, stronger conflict resolution and lower marital stress, according to a Brigham Young University study.
Researchers analyzed survey data from nearly 1,700 young married couples to compare the relationship effects of individual physical activity against exercise performed together.
The findings, published in the peer-reviewed journal Family Relations, revealed that while both individual and joint exercise contribute to healthier marriages, couples who work out as a team report more positive partnerships overall.
Brigham Young University is a private research university located in Provo, Utah, and the journal Family Relations specializes in publishing empirical research on family dynamics and marriage.
Impact on marital communication
Professor Jeremy Yorgason, a researcher from Brigham Young University, noted that shared workouts help couples manage disagreements more effectively.
"Our findings suggest that conjoint exercise facilitates, in a small but significant way, the ability to resolve conflict peacefully," Professor Yorgason said.
"People reported more positive outcomes in communication and conflict resolution when they exercised together," he added.
Despite the benefits, the study found that relatively few married couples engage in fitness activities together.
"About 60 per cent of husbands and wives in the sample said they exercised, but only about a third exercised together," Professor Yorgason said.
"That means about half the people who exercise are not exercising with their spouse," he explained.
"While the impact is not necessarily large, it is very consistent, which gives me confidence that it is influencing relationships in some meaningful way," Professor Yorgason noted.
Out of the three specific outcomes measured by the research team, joint exercise had the strongest positive impact on marital communication.
Popular joint activities and walking
"Out of all three outcomes, exercise had the biggest impact on communication," co-author Ashlyn Hiatt Mildenhall said. "That's why it was interesting that walking was the number one reported exercise. It naturally provides opportunities to communicate."
Walking emerged as the most common shared exercise among the surveyed couples, while hiking produced the most positive overall effect on relationship quality by creating numerous opportunities for spontaneous conversation.
The findings indicate that partners do not need costly gym memberships or elaborate weight racks in their garages to experience relationship improvements.
Long term relationship benefits
Couples who worked out together also reported better mutual listening skills, alongside stronger feelings of being heard and supported by their partner.
Professor Yorgason suggested that these constructive interpersonal interactions help explain why shared physical activity correlates with improved conflict resolution.
While earlier studies have shown that spending general leisure time together benefits couples, the researchers emphasized that joint exercise specifically creates dedicated time for conversation.
However, the research team cautioned that physical activity is not a complete cure for underlying relationship difficulties.
For many young couples, particularly those balancing parenting responsibilities, finding time for joint workouts requires intentional planning amid the daily demands of work, school and family life.
