diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index 3888a12..e84adbe 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ gem 'jquery-rails'
 gem 'jquery-ui-rails'
 gem 'jbuilder', '~> 1.2'
 gem 'thin'
+gem 'validates_timeliness', '~> 3.0'
 
 group :doc do
   gem 'sdoc', require: false
diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index c70f13f..9a62ef9 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ GEM
     thread_safe (0.1.2)
       atomic
     tilt (1.4.1)
+    timeliness (0.3.7)
     treetop (1.4.14)
       polyglot
       polyglot (>= 0.3.1)
@@ -175,6 +176,8 @@ GEM
     uglifier (2.1.2)
       execjs (>= 0.3.0)
       multi_json (~> 1.0, >= 1.0.2)
+    validates_timeliness (3.0.14)
+      timeliness (~> 0.3.6)
     xpath (2.0.0)
       nokogiri (~> 1.3)
 
@@ -200,3 +203,4 @@ DEPENDENCIES
   sqlite3
   thin
   uglifier (>= 1.3.0)
+  validates_timeliness (~> 3.0)
diff --git a/app/models/workout.rb b/app/models/workout.rb
index ccfe050..645e141 100644
--- a/app/models/workout.rb
+++ b/app/models/workout.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 class Workout < ActiveRecord::Base
-  validates :date, :presence => true
+  validates_date :date
 end
diff --git a/config/initializers/validates_timeliness.rb b/config/initializers/validates_timeliness.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fbf9b41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/initializers/validates_timeliness.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+ValidatesTimeliness.setup do |config|
+  # Extend ORM/ODMs for full support (:active_record, :mongoid).
+  # config.extend_orms = [ :active_record ]
+  #
+  # Default timezone
+  # config.default_timezone = :utc
+  #
+  # Set the dummy date part for a time type values.
+  # config.dummy_date_for_time_type = [ 2000, 1, 1 ]
+  #
+  # Ignore errors when restriction options are evaluated
+  # config.ignore_restriction_errors = false
+  #
+  # Re-display invalid values in date/time selects
+  # config.enable_date_time_select_extension!
+  #
+  # Handle multiparameter date/time values strictly
+  # config.enable_multiparameter_extension!
+  #
+  # Shorthand date and time symbols for restrictions
+  # config.restriction_shorthand_symbols.update(
+  #   :now   => lambda { Time.current },
+  #   :today => lambda { Date.current }
+  # )
+  #
+  # Use the plugin date/time parser which is stricter and extendable
+  # config.use_plugin_parser = false
+  #
+  # Add one or more formats making them valid. e.g. add_formats(:date, 'd(st|rd|th) of mmm, yyyy')
+  # config.parser.add_formats()
+  #
+  # Remove one or more formats making them invalid. e.g. remove_formats(:date, 'dd/mm/yyy')
+  # config.parser.remove_formats()
+  #
+  # Change the amiguous year threshold when parsing a 2 digit year
+  # config.parser.ambiguous_year_threshold =  30
+  #
+  # Treat ambiguous dates, such as 01/02/1950, as a Non-US date.
+  # config.parser.remove_us_formats
+end
diff --git a/config/locales/validates_timeliness.en.yml b/config/locales/validates_timeliness.en.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..634c9da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/locales/validates_timeliness.en.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+en:
+  errors:
+    messages:
+      invalid_date: "is not a valid date"
+      invalid_time: "is not a valid time"
+      invalid_datetime: "is not a valid datetime"
+      is_at: "must be at %{restriction}"
+      before: "must be before %{restriction}"
+      on_or_before: "must be on or before %{restriction}"
+      after: "must be after %{restriction}"
+      on_or_after: "must be on or after %{restriction}"
+  validates_timeliness:
+    error_value_formats:
+      date: '%Y-%m-%d'
+      time: '%H:%M:%S'
+      datetime: '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S'
diff --git a/spec/features/workouts_spec.rb b/spec/features/workouts_spec.rb
index 02fc7a9..e57e327 100644
--- a/spec/features/workouts_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/workouts_spec.rb
@@ -79,12 +79,13 @@ describe "Workouts" do
       page.should have_content 'Workout created'
     end
 
-    it "should not allow a blank date" do
+    it "should only accept real dates" do
       visit workouts_path
       click_link 'Create'
+      fill_in 'Date', :with => '2013-13-13'
       click_button 'Create Workout'
 
-      page.should have_content "Date can't be blank"
+      page.should have_content "Date is not a valid date"
     end
   end