Want to argue less with your spouse? New study finds exercising together may help
Mon, August 17, 2026 at 1:56 PM
UpdatedMon, August 17, 2026 at 1:58 PM
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Beautiful fit senior couple in gym working out with weights (Credit: Storyblocks)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) —Looking for a way to strengthen your marriage? A new study suggests you may want to lace up your sneakers together
Researchers examining nearly 1,700 young married couples in the United States found that spouses who exercised together reported better communication, better conflict resolution and less marital conflict
The study, published Aug. 5 in the journal Family Relations, examined the connection between exercise and relationship functioning among young married couples
Researchers specifically wanted to determine whether exercising with a spouse was associated with different relationship outcomes than exercising individually
Ivy, left, and Andy Larson from Full Fitness Fusion demonstrate airplanes holding hands: Stand at sides with both hands outstretched. Hold one hand, face same way. Lean forward while raising your inner legs up and behind you. (Jim Rassol/Sun Sentinel/MCT)
Working out together may have an edge
Researchers used data from 1,693 young married couples participating in a representative national study of early marriage in the United States
Both husbands and wives reported their individual and shared exercise habits, along with information about communication, conflict resolution and conflict within their marriages
The results were encouraging for exercise in general
For both husbands and wives, individual exercise and exercise with a spouse were significantly associated with better communication and conflict resolution and lower levels of marital conflict
But when researchers examined the two forms of exercise together, exercising with a spouse consistently showed stronger associations with the positive relationship outcomes than exercising individually
The pattern held for both husbands and wives
In other words, your solo morning run may be good for you… but inviting your spouse along could potentially have some relationship benefits, too
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Brian Costello and his fiancee, Kristi Hennessey ,work out at their home in Los Angeles. – AP
Don’t cancel couples therapy for the gym just yet
There is an important caveat
The study found an association between exercising together and healthier relationship processes, but it does not prove that hitting the gym with your spouse causes a marriage to improve
Researchers used cross-sectional data, meaning they examined the couples and their reported behaviors at a particular point rather than conducting an experiment that followed couples over time to determine cause and effect
That means the findings cannot establish whether exercising together improves relationships or whether couples with stronger relationships are simply more likely to exercise together
Still, researchers concluded that shared exercise appeared to be a stronger predictor of positive marital processes than individual exercise
The authors said the findings suggest exercising together could potentially be incorporated into marriage education and therapeutic strategies as a way of promoting healthier communication and reducing conflict
So while a couple’s workout isn’t a guaranteed prescription for marital bliss, the research suggests sharing a walk, run or workout may offer couples another reason to get moving together
