15 Partner Exercises That Get Your Heart Racing Together

Working out with a partner has a variety of benefits, including more motivation, someone to spot you, and another person to feel your pain the next day. But working out with your husband or boyfriend on top of all that? Well, the possibilities are endless. Here are 15 simple ways that are fun and bound to get your blood pumping together.

By Ariana Finlayson

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man and woman doing jiu jitsu in their bathrobes
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1. Get Physical

Try jiu-jitsu. This Brazilian martial art gets your heart rate up by having you roll around on a mat in pairs. Or, plain wrestling will do too. Set a timer and see how many times you can pin each other in 15 minutes.
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2. Toy Around

If a rainy day has you stuck inside, head to a toy store and channel your inner child. Challenge him to a bouncing ball race à la Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead.
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3. Coffee Run

Turn off the coffeepot and race to a coffee shop that's about a mile away. Loser buys!
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4. Have a Laugh

Tickle fights — especially if both of you are ticklish. All the laughing and wrestling to get the upper hand will whip your core muscles into shape.
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5. Get Buff

Step into the tub and take turns exfoliating each other from head to toe. Rubbing in a sugar scrub takes more work than you think, and he'll love how smooth your skin feels as you rinse off together.

Check out these other 12 ways to get your spa on together.

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6. Feel the Rhythm

Take a dance lesson together — salsa, swing, or even ballroom. He may need a little convincing, so make a whole night of it and hit up his favorite place for dinner afterward.
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7. Scale Something

Take a wall-climbing class together. You'll get a great view of each other's tushies for an hour while toning your arms and legs.
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8. Wii Fit

One of our editors loves challenging her boyfriend to the balance exercises. The moves take more concentration and body maneuvering than you think.
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9. Have a Whack at It

The next time you're feeling a little tension between the two of you, release aggression with a pillow fight. Soft pillows only and no head shots!
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10. Stretch Out

Flexibility is key to a healthy body. Lie on your back and have him stretch your legs in a variety of positions. Then switch and stretch him out.
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11. Take a Stroll Down Memory Lane

Think of when you first met each other or one of your favorite times together and retrace it on a bike or long walk. It will bring up wonderful memories and burn calories.
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12. Be the Cat's Meow

Head to an animal shelter and spend an hour or two playing with the cats and dogs. Their furry faces and rambunctious personalities will keep you warm and fuzzy inside, plus it's a real bonding experience.
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13. Sit Up and Smooch

Have a sit-up contest during the commercials of one of your favorite shows. Each time, come all the way up for a quick kiss on the lips — you'll need to control your abs to prevent from smacking into each other, which is a challenge in itself. Winner gets to take control of the remote for the rest of the night.
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14. Get Your Game On

Air hockey and Ping-Pong are two activities that are fun and don't require a lot of physical aptitude but really work up a sweat. Head to an arcade or a bar with either of these games and challenge each other to a match.
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15. Take It to the Store

Food shopping isn't the most exciting chore in our routines, so amp up the fun factor by challenging your guy to a supermarket-sweep race. Divide the shopping list in half and see who can collect their share of the groceries first. The loser has to cook dinner.
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