Get Fit – If the only thing stopping you from starting a training program is the cost of the gym, we have good news: you don’t have to go to a gym to be physically active. There are many low-cost alternatives that can help you get in shape, without exceeding your budget. These tips can help you get started.
Take Advantage Of Daily Opportunities
You don’t need a gym or particular equipment to do an aerobic workout. With a little foresight, the activities you already do can become part of your exercise routine.
Redouble the effort
Go for a brisk walk every day, whether it’s in your neighborhood or at a local mall. Take the stairs in its place of the elevator or make climbing the stairs a complete workout. Whenever you can, park further away from your destination to increase the number of steps you take to get fit.
Make housework a workout
Mow your lawn, weed your yard, rake leaves, or shovel snow. Even activities you do indoors, like vacuuming and scrubbing, count as training if they increase your heart rate.
Play with your children
If you have children, you don’t sit and watch them play. Play tag or ball together. Walk with them to the park. Dance Take a bike ride with your family. Go to a community pool, because even if you don’t swim, you can always enjoy some time in the water or walk in the shallow end of the pool. Do your children like video games? If so, connect with them and use a virtual tennis racket or do some boxing.
Improvise With Household Items Or Your Body Weight
If you’d rather not waste money on exercise equipment, use common household items or your body weight to do a variety of upper and lower body exercises to get fit:
- Canned products: Many canned goods can serve as hand weights.
- Chair or stool: Use a chair to support yourself while doing exercises, like push-ups. A low, sturdy stool can serve as exercise equipment if you use it for and doing a step, which is an aerobic exercise similar to going up and downstairs.
- Use the body: You don’t require to go to the gym or lift weights to improve your muscle condition. Use your bodyweight to perform weight training aerobics and resistance training.
Consider Making A Small Investment
If you can invest a little money, look for inexpensive products to add variety to your training routine, such as:
- Hand weights: Use hand weights to strengthen your upper body. They can be found in various weights and some are adjusted to offer a wide variety of resistance levels.
- Applications and exercise DVD: Create the atmosphere of a gym aerobics class in your own living room with an exercise DVD. Another alternative is to choose a program or app that helps you improve strength and flexibility, or tracks distance and time while you exercise.
- Swiss ball: The Swiss ball, sometimes referred to as a stability ball, looks like a huge beach ball. It allows you to exercise the middle area of the body, including the abdominal muscles. You can also use the Swiss ball to improve flexibility and balance.
BOSU balls can also used to improve balance and get fit. They are similar to the Swiss ball, but have a stable flat base.
- Medicine ball: It is a weighted ball made of rubber or leather. Medicine balls are available in different sizes. You can do many exercises with the medicine ball, such as calisthenics and mid-body exercises.
- Kettlebell: It is a round weight that has a handle on the top. Kettlebells can be used for strengthening exercises and to improve grip strength. They are available in many sizes.
- Ropes to jump: Jumping rope can be an excellent cardiovascular exercise.
- Elastic bands: When you pull on the elastic bands, the resistance is similar to that of the weights. Use them to strengthen the muscles in your arms and other parts of your body. You can choose different degrees of resistance, depending on your physical condition.
Be A Practical Shopper
If you’re interested in an exercise class or special equipment, shop around to find the best deal.
- Check with your local recreation department: Many recreation departments offer discounts on fitness classes to local residents. If you live by a high school or college with a fitness center, ask if community members can use the facilities.
- Buy used equipment: A few sporting goods stores specialize in used equipment; Additionally, you can check your local newspaper for advertisements about exercise machines. On the other hand, on the Internet, you can find excellent deals on exercise machines, but just make sure that the cost of shipping does not push the price above your budget.
- Share costs with a friend: Share physical activity videos or DVDs with a friend so that no one gets bored doing the same exercises over and over again. Find a personal trainer who allows you to share the cost of a session with one or two friends.
Remember, Get Fit getting in shape doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive. So don’t get caught up with memberships or purchases that you can’t afford, but instead focus on your exercise goals and how to achieve them without breaking your budget.