6 ways to get fit without a gym

NOT everyone wants to pay for a gym membership or workout in front of prying eyes so here are some free alternatives to get you fit without having to face a treadmill.

Enjoying music while exercising. Music exercise generic. Thinkstock

NOT everyone wants to pay for a gym membership or workout in front of prying eyes so here are some free alternatives to get you fit without having to face a treadmill.

1. Hit the court

What could be more fun than grabbing a bunch of friends and shooting hoops at your local courts? Most outdoor courts are free, so all you need is a ball. And if it’s wet? Forgo that extra caffeine hit and pay a couple of dollars to hit the indoor courts. If you’re friends aren’t free? Go yourself and shoot a few hoops.

Basketball and netball are great for toning your legs, butt, arms, shoulders and back muscles. The stop-start nature of these games make them great interval training and handling a ball will do wonders for your hand-eye coordination.

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2. Go exploring

Exercise is easier to take when you have gorgeous scenery to look at! Explore your local area, or find new places for adventure and get moving! You can even make it a social event with friends or family.

Not sure if walking or running is for you? You might change your mind when we tell you not only do they help you lose weight, you can decrease your cancer, diabetes and heart disease risk, boost your immunity, strengthen your bones and muscles, sleep better and wake up happier.

“High blood pressure affects about 25 per cent of people worldwide and is the number one risk factor for mortality,” explains body+soul GP, Dr. Cindy Pan, “Exercising regularly can result in significant lowering of blood pressure.”

Basketball and netball are great for toning your legs.

This would explain why a major Danish study that surveyed 20,000 men and women over a period of 36 years found that women who run or jog 1.5-2 hours a week can live up to 5.6 years longer than those who don’t. Men who did the same could increase their lifespan by 6.2 years.

3. Get creative

A lot of ‘gym’ exercises can just as easily be done at home, with just a little imagination! A couple full grocery bags or tin cans are just as effective to lift as dumbbells. A laundry basket filled with a few heavy items is a perfect barbell replacement.

4. Bring a class to you

For a low, one-off cost, you can complete a gym class in the comfort of your lounge room.

“Never underestimate the power of a lounge room workout!” says body+soul Personal Trainer, Kirsty Welsh, “If you are self-motivated, you can work your whole body and max yourself out in your 2-metre square space. Or you could take your laptop outdoors and train in your backyard. If home is the best option for you, I recommend rotating your DVD’s regularly to keep your workouts interesting. And crank your favourite tunes if your neighbours are the friendly type!”

Don’t confine the humble skipping rope to the schoolyard!

5. Skip away

Don’t confine the humble skipping rope to the schoolyard. In fact, it could be your most effective fitness tool for the home, in the park, on the beach…anywhere really. So how exactly does it compare? Studies using a 50kg person exercising for 30 minutes found that jogging at 8km/hour burns 204 calories, cycling at 15km/hour burns 138 calories and swimming at 25 meters/minute burns 132 calories.

And skipping? A whopping 314 calories was used up in the same amount of time! Just make sure you start at a level you can manage and build up as your fitness improves, as you would with any other form of exercise.

6. Tidy up

Scientists working for British cleaning company Vileda say that pushing the mop and bucket around your house for an hour burns 238 calories. That’s equivalent to two small glasses of wine or one bar of choccie. To burn the same number in a gym would require an hour on an exercise bike or 70 minutes of weight lifting.

In exercise terms, household chores are about the same as medium-intensity aerobics. That means your muscles are being worked, your heart health is improving and you’re working off extra kilos. By putting in just a little extra effort, you can turn your average weekly clean to a serious fat-burner. Plus your house will be spotless.

Give your health and fitness routine a boost for life by joining the body+soul revolution. Choose from one of 3 10-week programs - Weight Loss, Vitality Boost and Strength - all designed to help you look and feel great and boost your energy levels. Click to take a free health assessment, try our weight loss calculator and sign up today.