A great way to make sure that you and your girlfriend stay fit and healthy is to exercise together. A trip out of doors improves circulation, endurance, and keeps you trim. Despite all those obvious benefits, it’s still common to find that exercise is abandoned in favor of more romantic activities. The trick then becomes finding romantic outdoor sports that will build and strengthen your relationship. If you’re getting a lot out of these exercises, you’ll stick with it and be rewarded with slimmer, sexier bodies and a better relationship.

Teamwork Builds Trust

If you really want to light a romantic fire with your sweetheart, go straight to activities and sports that make you rely on one another. A heart pounding round of two on two paintball will have you gasping in each other’s arms, laughing about the quick witted battle plan you two created together. If you have to work together to accomplish a goal or win a game, you’re going to come out feeling closer than ever. Whether you win or lose, so long as you don’t blame one another and focus on your work as a team, you’re going to love the intimate spark that teamwork-reliant sports put into your love life.

There are plenty of sports that can rely on as small a team as a couple. In addition to two person variations of team sports like two on two basketball and the like, there’s also couple tennis, rowing, and so much more. You can find tons of sports from Frisbee golf to football, which can be played with just two people; that will get your hearts racing on and off the field.

Cross Country Sports Breed Adventure

If you and your girlfriend are looking for shared experiences, you can’t go wrong with cross-country style outdoor activities. Whether you pick skiing down foreign slopes or climbing a cliff side, high impact long term sports are perfect for giving you the kind of shared memories that will bring you closer. A three day hike or a week backpacking around Europe will give you thrills, laughs, and keep you close together.

It doesn’t have to be all high impact, either. A day of horseback riding across fields or down a beach provides much of the same thrill as an all day hike. Biking is just as great as jogging. Pick an activity that you both want to do and are fine doing for a long time, you’ll have the perfect outdoor adventure to strengthen you as a couple.

Solo Sports Allow Competitive Bonding

“Competitive bonding” sounds like an oxymoron at first, but it’s not. If you two participate in solo sports together, you’ll have the opportunity to drive one another to greater success. You’ll look for opportunities to beat one another, but you’ll also be there to celebrate each other’s success. Solo sports are the best way to showcase that you don’t need one another—but life is sweeter when you’re together.

A great example of this type of activity is golfing. Play nine holes of golf together, and you’ll have stretched your legs, gotten some air, and been impressed with each other’s backswing; loser buys lunch. Other sports like this are walking or jogging, swimming, and so forth. Compete for the best time, but don’t forget to be supportive.

Keep fit together and stay together. Play some outdoor sports and watch your relationship blossom with love and romance as you take those next steps with your sweetheart.