Best Couples Workouts: 20 Exercises to Do Together
Best Couples Workouts: 20 Exercises to Do Together
Working out with your significant other is one of those things that sounds great in theory and can be either amazing or relationship-ending in practice. I've seen couples high-fiving after crushing a workout together, and I've seen couples silently drive home after one person tried to "coach" the other's squat form for 45 minutes.
The difference? Exercise selection and attitude. Pick the right couples workout, leave your ego at the door, and you'll discover one of the best ways to spend time together while getting fitter. Pick wrong, and you'll be sleeping on the couch.
Here are 20 exercises specifically designed for two people — ranging from beginner-friendly to advanced — that will strengthen your bodies and your bond.
Warm-Up Exercises (Start Here)
1. Partner Mirror Warm-Up
How it works: Stand facing each other. One person leads, the other mirrors their movements — arm circles, high knees, hip rotations, whatever feels natural. Switch leaders every 30 seconds.
Why it's great for couples: It requires you to pay attention to each other. You literally can't do this while scrolling your phone. It's also surprisingly fun and usually devolves into laughter within the first minute.
Time: 3-5 minutes
2. Back-to-Back Wall Sit
How it works: Stand back to back, walk your feet out, and simultaneously sink into a wall sit position — except your partner's back is the wall. Your thighs should be parallel to the ground. Hold.
Why it's great for couples: You're literally leaning on each other. If one person gives up, the other falls. It's a trust exercise disguised as a quad burner.
Time: 3 sets of 30-60 seconds
Strength Exercises
3. Partner Push-Up with Clap
How it works: Face each other in push-up position, about arm's length apart. Do a push-up simultaneously. At the top, reach out with your right hand and clap your partner's right hand. Next rep, left hand. Alternate.
Why it's great for couples: It adds a coordination challenge and a moment of connection to a classic exercise. Plus, trying to clap hands while in a push-up position is harder than it sounds.
Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 10
4. Wheelbarrow Push-Up with Squat
How it works: Person A gets into push-up position. Person B holds Person A's ankles at hip height (like a wheelbarrow). Person A does a push-up while Person B simultaneously does a squat. Reset and repeat.
Why it's great for couples: Both people are working hard, but differently. Person A works chest, shoulders, and core. Person B works legs and grip. Switch roles after each set.
Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 8-10 each role
5. Partner Band Rows
How it works: Stand facing each other, each holding one end of a resistance band. Both people start with arms extended, band taut. Simultaneously row the band toward your chest, then slowly extend. The key is matching each other's tempo.
Why it's great for couples: The resistance depends on both people. If one person pulls harder or faster, the other gets yanked forward. Forces you to communicate and synchronize.
Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 12-15
6. Squat and Press Pass
How it works: Stand facing each other, about 5 feet apart. One person holds a medicine ball, squats down, and on the way up explosively presses the ball to their partner. Partner catches, squats, presses back. Continuous flow.
Why it's great for couples: Full body exercise with a competitive element. See how many consecutive passes you can make without dropping the ball.
Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 20 passes (10 each)
7. Deadlift High-Five
How it works: Stand facing each other, each with a dumbbell or kettlebell. Simultaneously perform a single-leg Romanian deadlift on the same side. At the bottom, reach your free hand out and high-five your partner. Return to standing. Switch legs.
Why it's great for couples: Single-leg deadlifts require balance and concentration. Adding the high-five forces you to stabilize and connect at the most challenging part of the movement.
Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 8 each leg
8. Partner Pistol Squats
How it works: Face each other, grip each other's forearms. Simultaneously perform a pistol squat (single-leg squat), using your partner's arms for balance assistance. This turns an incredibly difficult exercise into something achievable for most fitness levels.
Why it's great for couples: You're enabling each other to do something neither could do alone. That's a pretty solid metaphor for a good relationship.
Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 5-8 each leg
Cardio Exercises
9. Partner Sprint Intervals
How it works: At a track or open field, one person sprints 100 meters while the other does burpees. When the sprinter returns, switch roles. Continue for 10-15 rounds.
Why it's great for couples: Different fitness levels aren't a problem — each person works at their own intensity. It's also the kind of workout that creates shared suffering, which weirdly bonds people.
Sets/Reps: 10-15 rounds
10. Battle Rope Relay
How it works: One person does battle ropes for 30 seconds while the other holds a plank. Switch. No rest between transitions.
Why it's great for couples: The person planking is "resting" but not really. Both people are working the entire time, just in different ways.
Sets/Reps: 5 rounds each (10 total minutes)
11. Rowing Machine Relay
How it works: Set a target distance (2000m works well). Alternate every 250m. One person rows while the other does bodyweight exercises nearby — air squats, push-ups, sit-ups.
Why it's great for couples: Creates friendly competition with shared accountability. Your combined time is what matters.
Time: Complete 2000m together
Core Exercises
12. Sit-Up Medicine Ball Pass
How it works: Sit facing each other, knees bent, feet possibly interlocked. Person A holds a medicine ball, does a sit-up, and passes to Person B at the top. Person B receives, goes back down into a sit-up, comes back up and passes back. Continuous.
Why it's great for couples: The classic partner ab exercise for a reason. Simple, effective, and the constant passing creates a rhythm that makes the reps fly by.
Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 20 passes
13. Plank Shoulder Taps
How it works: Both partners get into a high plank position, facing each other, close enough to reach. Simultaneously tap each other's opposite shoulder — your right hand to their left shoulder. Alternate sides.
Why it's great for couples: Anti-rotation core work with a connection element. Try not to laugh as your partner wobbles.
Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 20 taps (10 each side)
14. Partner Leg Throw-Down
How it works: Person A lies on their back. Person B stands at Person A's head. Person A grabs Person B's ankles, raises their legs to vertical, and Person B pushes them down in a random direction — straight, left, or right. Person A resists and controls the descent without letting their feet touch the ground.
Why it's great for couples: Person B gets to be a little chaotic (push in different directions, vary intensity), which keeps Person A guessing and engaged. Builds serious lower ab strength.
Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 10-12 throws, then switch
Flexibility and Recovery
15. Partner Hamstring Stretch
How it works: Person A lies on their back, raises one leg. Person B gently pushes the raised leg toward Person A's chest, holding for 20-30 seconds. Communication is key — Person A tells Person B when to push more or ease off.
Why it's great for couples: Requires trust and communication. Also, most people's hamstrings are atrociously tight, so this is genuinely useful.
Time: 30 seconds each leg, each person
16. Seated Back-to-Back Twist
How it works: Sit back to back with legs extended. Person A holds a medicine ball or weight plate. Both twist in the same direction — Person A passes the object to Person B on one side, Person B receives it and twists to pass it back on the other side. Creates a continuous circular motion.
Why it's great for couples: Oblique work with a cooperative element. Start slow and build speed as you find your rhythm.
Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 20 passes each direction
Advanced Exercises
17. Partner Acro Squat (Throne Pose)
How it works: Person B (base) lies on their back, feet up. Person A (flyer) stands at Person B's feet. Person A leans forward, placing their hips on Person B's feet. Person B presses Person A up by extending their legs. Person A balances in a seated position in the air.
Why it's great for couples: This is an entry-level acro yoga move that looks impressive, builds trust, and strengthens Person B's legs. Expect multiple failed attempts and a lot of laughter.
Sets/Reps: Work up to 3 holds of 15-30 seconds
18. Burpee Box Jump Over
How it works: One person holds a plank while the other does a lateral burpee-jump over them. Land on the other side, do another burpee, jump back over. After 5 jumps, switch roles.
Why it's great for couples: Explosive, challenging, and requires absolute trust that the planking person will stay solid.
Sets/Reps: 5 jumps each, 3 rounds
19. Partner Get-Up
How it works: Lie on the ground facing each other, heads about a foot apart. Lock hands overhead. Simultaneously perform a Turkish get-up while maintaining hand contact throughout the movement. This requires incredible coordination and is genuinely advanced.
Why it's great for couples: If you can do this together, you can do anything together. It's that hard.
Sets/Reps: 3 each side
20. Synchronized Barbell Complex
How it works: Both partners load a barbell to their working weight. Perform a complex together: 5 deadlifts → 5 hang cleans → 5 front squats → 5 push presses → 5 back squats. Move through each exercise simultaneously, matching tempo.
Why it's great for couples: The ultimate test of synchronization, fitness, and mental toughness as a couple. Film it — synchronized barbell work looks incredible.
Sets/Reps: 3 rounds with 2 minutes rest between
Tips for Making Couples Workouts Actually Work
Manage the Fitness Gap
Most couples have different fitness levels. That's fine. Modify exercises so both people are challenged — different weights, different rep counts, different variations. The goal is working together, not comparing.
Leave the Coaching at the Door
Unless your partner explicitly asks for form advice, don't give it. Nothing kills a workout vibe faster than unsolicited corrections. You're their partner, not their personal trainer.
Compete Wisely
Friendly competition can be motivating. Ego-driven competition can be destructive. Know the difference. If your partner seems frustrated rather than fired up, dial it back.
Schedule It
Like anything in a relationship, consistency matters. Pick a day that's "your workout day" and protect it. It becomes a ritual — something you look forward to together.
Have Fun
Not every workout needs to be a PR attempt. Sometimes the best couples workout is throwing a frisbee in the park, doing yoga in the living room, or taking a beginner's kickboxing class and laughing at each other's technique.
Why Couples Who Work Out Together Stay Together
This isn't just a cute saying — there's research behind it. A study from the University of Oxford found that exercising together increased pain tolerance (a proxy for endorphin release) more than exercising alone. Another study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships found that couples who completed novel, exciting physical activities together reported higher relationship quality.
Working out together creates shared experiences, builds trust, improves communication, and gives you something to bond over beyond Netflix and dinner. It also keeps both partners healthy, which matters more as relationships progress.
If you and your partner are both into fitness — or if you want to get into fitness together — these 20 exercises are a solid starting point. And if you're still looking for that fitness-minded partner to sweat with, DateFit is the world's largest dating app for the fitness community. Your future workout partner might be one swipe away.
Looking for a partner who actually wants to work out with you? DateFit connects fitness enthusiasts who want to build something real — both in the gym and beyond. Download it today.