Valentine’s Day: 82% of Polish women would appreciate a date at a sports facility
Poles’ growing awareness of the psychophysical benefits resulting from physical activity is reflected in the approach to the upcoming Valentine’s Day. According to a special edition of the MultiSport Index survey, 8 out of 10 Polish women believe that visiting a sports facility with a partner is a good idea for a Valentine’s Day date or gift.
Many experts claim that positive emotions resulting from the active lifestyle of partners can make them happier and their relationship more lasting. This is confirmed by the results of the MultiSport Index survey: 93% of Poles believe that physical activity undertaken by partners has a positive impact on their relationship, and 88% agree that physically active couples are happier. We asked Agata Brama, sports trainer and wellbeing expert at Benefit Systems, about the benefits of exercising together with a partner.
Greater training intensity
According to research conducted by scientists from the University of Aberdeen, there is a clear connection between having a training companion and the amount of exercise performed. [1] The results indicate that finding a training partner significantly increases the amount of exercise. This effect is further intensified when the sports partner can offer additional emotional support. Sports competition between partners can be a strong stimulus for improvement. People who engage in healthy competition are often more motivated to push themselves beyond their limits, which can lead to better results.
– Having a training partner can translate into achieving sports goals, especially for people who have problems with motivation to exercise. The presence of a person who will counteract our “inner laziness” and motivate us to work out can have a significant impact on training results. The same applies to sports competition during exercise: the presence of a training partner may result in additional repetitions or extension of workout time, which will directly affect the training effects – says Agata Brama, sports trainer and wellbeing expert at Benefit Systems.
Greater level of happiness in a relationship
Sport is health, including mental health. During physical activity, the concentration of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators that improve our mood increases, which is why we often feel full of energy after training. According to the MultiSport Index survey, 95% of physically active Poles notice the positive impact of exercise on their wellbeing, and 89% confirm that training reduces stress and negative emotions. Better psychophysical condition, resulting from an active lifestyle, may also have a positive impact on love relationships: 88% of Poles believe that couples who engage in physical activity are happier.
– For couples, joint physical activity is both a means to maintain a healthy lifestyle and an effective way to build emotional bonds. Activities undertaken together help improve physical condition and create shared experiences, which strengthens emotional bonds between partners. People leading an active lifestyle have better resistance to stress and cope better with everyday challenges, which may result in reducing potential tensions in the relationship and improving communication between partners – says Agata Brama.
Greater motivation and improved results
According to the MultiSport Index survey, some of the reasons for giving up physical activity are lack of time (33%) and lack of willingness to exercise (19%). Agata Brama believes that exercising together with a partner not only provides health benefits but can also become an effective antidote to popular excuses.
– One of the key factors in increasing motivation to exercise is the presence of a partner. This acts as a natural catalyst, increasing the intensity of effort through friendly competition and emotional support. It is worth noting that joint activity can effectively overcome the lack of willingness to train, creating a positive atmosphere that motivates regular workouts – says Agata Brama..
Greater training variety and new ideas for activity
Training with a partner often leads to exploring different areas of fitness. Joint exercises contribute to increasing the variety of workouts, including engaging new muscles, which is an important element of effectiveness in sports.
– Training in pairs can significantly broaden our horizons. People who exercise regularly have their own routine and both favourite and less favourite exercises. Training with another person can be a great opportunity to learn new exercises, discover new training methods or perform movement tasks that we try to avoid in our own workout. The muscular system does not like routine and very quickly gets used to the training intensity and exercises performed. Thanks to new stimuli, our body will develop in a more effective way – says Agata Brama.
Greater attractiveness
Introducing physical activity into everyday life plays an important role in building self-confidence and increasing the sense of self-attractiveness. According to the results of the MultiSport Index survey, 95% of respondents perceive such a positive impact of physical activity. Interestingly, other studies indicate a connection between adrenaline secreted during physical exercise and an increase in the attractiveness of other people. [2]
– Physical activity affects not only physical but also mental wellbeing. By exercising, we have a positive impact on our health, improve our fitness and body shape, and achieve our goals at the same time, which increases our sense of self-efficacy. These factors contribute to better wellbeing and increased self-confidence in other areas of life. Thus, physical activity translates into social relationships and the way we are perceived by others – summarises Agata Brama.
Sources
[1] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/10/161004081548.htm
[2] https://www.mckendree.edu/academics/scholars/issue17/mckinney.htm
