Updated August 31, 2015.

Make fitness more fun by turning it into a social activity. Getting together for an active date usually means plenty of time to talk (more than you'd do in a movie theater) and share lots of laughs too. Plus, you're using that valuable one-on-one time to do something that's healthy for both of you. Skip the dreadmill and grab a sweetheart or a pal for your next workout.

What kind of workouts are best for socializing?


That depends on you and your partner. Sometimes it's fun to try something totally new together. But it's also meaningful when you share something you love with someone you love. Or vice versa: Ask your date (whether that means your spouse, your kid, or a good friend) to teach you a sport or activity he or she enjoys.

12 High-Energy Social Activities to Share

1. Dancing: Take a class, hit a club (try Baby Loves Disco for a kid-friendly option) or just clear out some space and dance together at home.
2. Skating: Of course you'll need to hold hands for roller- and ice-skating around a rink! For a higher-speed option, strap on some inline skates (and helmets, please).
3. Sports leagues: Team up with your bestie or your boyfriend and join a softball, volleyball, kickball, or bowling league together.
4. Competitions: Play tennis, or even table tennis, as a doubles team, or face off against each other.
5. Sightseeing: Pick a pretty spot and see it together while hiking, running, biking, or skiing (cross-country or downhill).

1. Paddling: Buy, borrow, or rent a canoe, kayak, or pair of paddleboards and hit the water together. Canoes, especially, require teamwork.
2. Getting high: Ahem! What I mean is climbing up high. Take a trapeze class, or visit an indoor rock climbing gym, an outdoor climbing destination, or one of the many ropes courses and zipline parks that have cropped up across the U.S.
3. Shopping: Make it a farmers' market or a pick-it-yourself farm or orchard. You'll get some exercise walking, plus come home with some healthy produce to eat .
4. Playing like a kid: Batting cages, laser tag, and trampoline parks aren't just for kids! Go with or without a youngster as your date—you'll still have a good time.
5. Practicing yoga: Share a relaxing hour with your date in a yoga class. You'll leave renewed and refreshed. Extra credit if you can find a partner or Acroyoga class, in which you and your partner will support each other in poses designed for two.
6. Walking and talking: The next time you make plans to meet a friend for coffee, get your drinks to go and and take a stroll together. You'll boost that daily step count while still enjoying a social activity.
7. Golfing: Whether you're partial to traditional golf, disc golf, or even miniature golf, sharing nine or 18 holes is an active, enjoyable way to spend an afternoon.