No Gym No Problem
Get Fit - No Membership Needed
You don't need to join a gym. Or a studio. Or any sort of fitness center.
Or pay for classes. There are many alternatives to traditional fitness programs that you can do at home or outside, for free!
You can pick from Pilates, Yoga, cycling, barre, strength training, HIIT running and walking.
This post will enlighten you and give you the deets.
If you’ve had a hard time finding fitness that fits you- try a few and see which one you like best!
Pilates
Pilates is an exercise form that focuses on improving flexibility, core strength, and muscle control. It's a great way to build up your strength,s tability, balance and focus. This carries onto all areas of life - whether you're at work playing sports or even running around after kids!
The mat exercises are easiest for beginners and involve doing calisthenic type exercises with a focus on abs, breathing, posture and alignment
The focus with Pilates is not how many reps you can do but rather quality over quantity, so take it nice and slow when starting.
Check out this beginner series here.
All Photography Sean Swann
HIIT
Stands for High Intensity Interval Training and using bodyweight exercises- is really a great way to pack some serious at home punch into your workouts.
HIIT workouts combine intense bouts of exercises followed by shorter bouts of low intensity or rest. They may require a certain level of fitness before hand- as many workouts will feature jumps planks and advanced multi joint moves to increase the heart rate fast.
They are super popular for a reason- they are proved to be effective for weight loss. the short bursts of energy trick your body into burning fat sources instead of carbohydrates stores- making fat loss while not losing muscle very possible. This is not the case with longer forms of cardio
Try an at home HIIT workout here
Barre
Barre is a hybrid of ballet inspired movement infused with pilates yoga dance strength and cardio.
Many classes use a ballet barre but you can totally use a chair or table at home for the same effect. Barre uses high repetitions to work on muscular endurance which really tones your abs arms thighs and butt.
You’ll do small isometric moves with strict form until you shake! Many classes will use small hand weights and small balls as well as bands.
You can try a workout here
Cycling
Cycling is a great way to stay fit, and you may not even need a bike- there are so many rental options and ride shares now
You will need are safe bicycle riding clothes and comfortable shoes for the pedals and handlebars. You will want to make sure your clothing does not get caught in the spokes and it is smart to wear breathable lightweight fabrics so you don’t overheat. You may wasn’t to invest in light or bright colored clothes so drivers can see you and always have lights on bikes at night!
Make sure you grab some water to stay hydrated , and don’t forget helmets and gloves if cycling off-road or in urban areas. Once you got this all down, get out there….
Cycling is an incredible way to get your workout in. Go start pedaling!
Walking
Walking is an excellent exercise because it's low impact and you can do it anywhere.
You don't need any equipment, just good shoes for the ground you’re walking on. Another benefit of walking is that if you live in a city or somewhere with compact spaces, your commute may also be your workout! (I get much of my cardio in like this). It is a great form of cardio and most people can do it.
You'll get some fresh air while getting fit, making your time outdoors feel more productive than ever before. Hiking also has the benefit of not requiring much if any equipment. All you need to do is find a trail and go!
To add a little fun, consider listening to music, or you can have some of your friends join you.
Running
Running is a great way to stay in shape and perhaps even lengthen your life…
l. All you need are some running shoes and open space that's safe to run on (sidewalks, parks). You can also join one of the many social networks for runners where people post about their routes or organize runs with other network members.
Apps like MapMyRun and Runkeeper make it easy to map out your route before heading outside, so you know how long it will be and what terrain you'll be traveling through.
Running is known for the runners high.
it releases endorphins which make you feel good and provides mild to intense aerobic activity, which helps to increase endurance metabolism and heart health.
Yoga
Yoga has almost been around forever! It’s an ancient form of thinking and moving centered around meditation It has changed a bit through the years but the workout now is focused on strength flexibility and breathing. many people love it as a way. to boost both physical and mental well being.
Most workouts will have you flowing through a series of asanas or poses that you hold before moving onto another pose. All you may need is a mat but some classes will use straps and blocks
Check out this playlist here.
Strength Training
You can grab dumbbells off Amazon or at your local Target and just try some squats bicep curls and Bent over rows at home! Basic moves will take you far and you can always pair them with crunches, planks push ups and more.
You can sign up on ASFA to learn more about other exercises you can do with just a simple mat.