I hate working out.  I hate, hate HATE working out.  I can't write HATE enough to show how much I hate it.  Now, I know the importance of being healthy, and I would like to look like some of the women I see who work out alot, but not enough to overcome the aboslute hatred of the gym.  If I had a choice, I do dance classes, but I live in the boonies and work a 9-5, so the best classes at my talent level are not available at a convenient time or non-existent.

Every man I've dated has tried to workout with me, to varying degrees of success.  It, more often than not, didn't go well.  As such, I generally have a no-couple-working-out policy until the relationship is well established.

FH family: Do you enjoy working out with your mate, or do you fly solo?  Or, like me, do you wait until you're committed before committing to the gym together?

Not now, but I have a home gym and she want an elliptical machine and a few other pieces, so eventually we will be in the home gym at the same time.  She is actually a gym rat and frequent  the "W" about five times a week.  I feel driven to work out for more than a few reasons along with a fear "of".  I have a very narrow appearance window that I strive to maintain since leaving college when I had it going on.  My girl feel that I'm going through a mid-life crisis in that I keep trying to maintian my physical appearance that I had back in 1985 when I was playing ball...lol.

Folks always say that I still look the same and hasn't change a bit since school, but I left college at 220lbs and I'm pushing 228lbs today, but that is 3lbs too many.  I have to maintain a weight at around 223- 225lbs... no more and no less.

It aint easy being me...lol.

I have all these fears "of" that drives me in all kinds of way that resembles personal motivation... but it is the fear "of":

Cardio disease, physical deteriation, a decline in strengh, stamina and flexibilty, high blood pressure, endurance, skinny legs and shapeless calves, etc.  Even not having a certain conditioned and "athletic" appearance and tone...

Lawd only knows what I'm going to do when I get much older...it will have to come to an end sooner or later...

Poor Wood. 

Oh yeah, its no compliment when folks say you look good for your age or look good to be in your mid forties...yeah yeah yeah.  My reference point is not a forty something man, but how I look back in my day when I was playing ball.  I need to beef up my "chicken wing" neck in that picture.  I use to have an 18 1/2 inch neck back in my day, but I'm down in the chicken neck 17 1/2 inch territory now... I'm slipping down the tubes.

Nothing worse that man with a big head and skinny neck.  I need to work on that.

@ Wood:

Sorry, but you will never look like you did in your twenties.  They are gone.  It's the nature of the beast (TIME).  And trust, younger women know the difference between a 20 yr ball player at 220 lbs and an 18 inch neck, and a 40 former ball player at 220 lbs and a 18 inch neck.

Anywho, strangely, I'm smaller now than I was in high school, but not as fit.  I want to get back to that fitness level, especially since whenever I think about having children, I want to be in the best physical condition possible.  Have to, in order for things to go back (as closely as possible) to where/what they were before.

JustAThought

I woud prefer to workout with my lady because that would be a great bonding/team building opporunity as well as a chance to work with each other to set and reach personal goals together.

UUhh well when I workout with my husband at home he stopped giving me tips because he was telling me stuff to make me bulky and I didnt wan t that, when we go to the gym we go our separate ways.  So, we both work out but just not together.  I do love working out with my trainer, when I can afford it.  So, couples or not?  It depends on the couple.

I definitely prefer a trainer.  It gets expensive, but it keeps my sanity, as well as that of the person I'm dating.

I prefer to workout solo. Working out is not only my exercise routine but it is my De-stresser....my Me Time. I just want to throw on my Ipod and escape through my work out. No company required :-)

I think working out with your partner is cool because it's another activity that the two can enjoy together.  Whether it's running, biking, swimming or going to the gym, all of these can be looked at as working out together and are activities that can be enjoyed to strengthen your bond and create good memories.

Sorry, but you will never look like you did in your twenties.  They are gone.  It's the nature of the beast (TIME).  And trust, younger women know the difference between a 20 yr ball player at 220 lbs and an 18 inch neck, and a 40 former ball player at 220 lbs and a 18 inch neck. 
JAT, I can honestly say it has nothing to do with women... it is in my head and I'm having a hard time shaking it.  My girl think I look super, and when I get in the mirror and start turning around and sucking in my stomach, she just laugh and tell me to stop sucking in air, you don't have a stomach to suck in. 
I really think I'm having a very hard time growing older.  I'm glad I'm still here, but I'm dreading the natural physical changes that are taking and trying to take place.  I still have my cloths from my senior year of college.

I really can't believe that I, D.Wood am really on the down slope to 50!!!

Hell, it seems like I was in my mid twenties just five years ago...damn.

@ Wood:

It happens to the best of us.  I don't know how I'll react when I get there.  Right now the signs are mostly I can't stay up as long, and it takes longer to recover after a night of drinking.  But, I don't worry about it.  I just eat as well as I can, and am trying to kick up my exercise game.

JAT, me and a few friends were at the CIAA tourneyment a couple of weeks ago, and as we were standing by the door of a function, a couple of younger brothas walked to the entrance and looked in.  One of the brothas commented to the other...its a bunch of "Old heads" in there and walked off.  Me and my boys started laughing because it wasn't too long ago when we used to say and do the same thing when lookin in and saw folks were our age.

Here I am, an official "Old Head"...lol.

I prefer to work out alone or with a trainer.  I'm not very nice when I'm working out (Sighs).

I prefer to workout alone...somethimes with a friend is cool too.  I love to get my sweat on.  I have recently adapted a later time to visit the gym.  I call it couchPotato time , when everyone is home watching their fav shows , I get all the machines I want for as long as I want...come home shower and pass the hell out.  Ive also notice that I usually dont wake up sore when working a laten area.

Haven't read any comments yet cause I gotta get up in a few hrs for work, but here's my two-cents...

Solo (in a singing-voice). I don't like talking to anybody when I work out. lifting weights is not a team sport unless what your doing is more than what you can manage on your own in a gym. When my headphones are on, nobody exists except for me and the person on the otherside of the mirror. Gotta stay focused.

When you intentionally workout with someone, you'll always be competing no matter what. So If I'm doing doing 10 sets of 25 on the hip-flexion machine at 275 lbs and whatever else in rotation I really won't be interested in the fact that you can do more (or less-it happens fellas so get over it) than me, and I expect you to do the same. At that point it just becomes a spectator sport, and who wants someone ogling them in the mirror for most of an entire workout. If they can't concentrate on the goal (looking good and feeling extremely fit) niether can you. It just isn't satisfying (think about it, lol).

Girl-- How did I miss this thread?  I usually work out solo, BUT I have worked out with my man in the past.

As soon as we got in the gym -- I dispersed. Went to do my thing and left him to his lonesome...he worked his way over to me eventually though. I must say I outdid him...

But I'm usually like you Swan-- I like to focus.

I was wondering the same thing@ missing this post previously.  I've never worked out as a couple with any regularity.  Meaning I've done it once or twice, I actually had to get my ex into working out, but she fell off. 

I would be reluctant to work out directly with the woman, but it isn't because she'd outdo me.  Lol, @y'all ladies out "doin" the men you're with.  It would have to be some ole yoga type thing, "power stretching" or a highly specialized lift that I had no idea existed, and you have been doing for a few years.  Possibly even long distance running on the tread, but that would probably be short lived.  I don't even look at working out as competition.

I'm kinda like Wood in the respect that I wouldn't be proud of someone saying I look good for a certain age, especially when most folks think I'm about 8-10 years younger than how I appear.

On a side note, fellas the locker room is not for galavanting around naked, this includes walkin around in (I can't even believe folks would rock one of these) a jock strap.  Though I like my new gym, I'm finding folks are a lil too free up in there.  What's crazy about this gym is there are plenty of towels available and free.  One can dang near create a robe or smoker's jacket, complete with a towel ascot, with the towels they have available.

Speaking of physical upkeep, folks need to drink your water too.  It takes all kinds of points away when you have a cute lil sun dress on and then we see all kinds of bumps and stuff on your arms, and back...especially at a white party.

Speaking of physical upkeep, folks need to drink your water too.  It takes all kinds of points away when you have a cute lil sun dress on and then we see all kinds of bumps and stuff on your arms, and back...especially at a white party.
@Wo:  Bumps?  What kind of bumps?  What are they from?  How does drinking water help that?  Never had that issue so I can't imagine what you're talking about.

@ Dashon:

Folliculitis, and body acne occur more frequently when you are dehydrated (and thus full of more toxins).