Fitness dates give you the benefit of an automatic common ground to talk about – especially on first dates. They give you an opportunity to learn about your partner's strengths (or weaknesses) around coordination and skill as well as their competitive spirit, sense of fair play, and even humility (if they're not so good at what you're doing).
Fitness dates also inject a fabulous fun factor that can far exceed the standard coffee, movie or dinner date – save those for wintertime get-togethers. Here are eight great summer fitness date ideas that can add a little spark (and a bit of sweat) to a budding or full-grown romance:
1. Take a lesson
Whether it's tennis, fly fishing, rollerblading or golf, private lessons (read: just the two of you and your coach) can be a fun way to while away your time together. Depending on your chosen activity, lessons can be as short as a half hour or take a half day or more. Lessons may not make the best-first-date list, but if your first date uncovered some common interests, why not jump on the bandwagon and offer up the suggestion to "take it to the next level" – with both your relationship and your choice of activity?
Benefit: Once you've taken your lesson, you have one more thing in common that you're likely to be more excited about doing together.
2. Drive the point home
My first date with my boyfriend was at the driving range. We met, whacked a bucket or two of balls and had a great time chatting and laughing at our less than brilliant golf skills (sure, nervousness could have been a factor).
Page 1 of 4 – Discover why playing a round of golf (or even just practising together at the driving range) makes for a great date on page 2.
