New Year’s resolution to start working out?

If you’re already thinking of sinking money into a gym membership and spending a ton of cash on workout gear? Wo

For some people, the gym can be discouraging. You’ve got to get to the gym for starters, parking. Then you might need to wait for machines or hope that the bike, treadmill etc. you hop on isn’t stained with someone else’s sweat. Then there’s the chaos, noise. Waiting for shower or the whole publicness of the steam room.

The thing is, you can start working out right now – no equipment.

What do you need? Comfy clothes, decent shoes, and that’s about it.

Some ideas:

Interval Training

Many people just don’t like the idea of running. I get that. It can be all-over physically exhausting, and you need to keep at it. But you really don’t have to train for endurance. I love using interval training as an alternative. It means I work a whole lot harder for a shorter time.

I’ll admit, I love running, too, so this is how I mix things up to make the most of my workout time:

• I start off with a light 3– 5-minute jog.
• Then I do a minute of high-speed running, followed by a minute of low-speed jogging. I repeat this around 8 – 10 times depending on my stamina level on the day.
• I cool down with a light 5-minute jog.

With this kind of workout, I’m technically running as fast as I can for a minute, which means I only need a short time to maintain the intensity, which means I know I can do it! I go flat out for that minute, so I can enjoy the break afterward. Rather than spending an hour running, I just do short bursts and it works for me. The fact that I can fit in my workout any time is inspiration alone.

When I want a little variety, I vary the timing of the bursts. Sometimes, I use a kind of pyramid structure, starting small, peaking in the middle, and then slowing things down towards the end. I also like speed play which is called Swedish Fartlek training. It gives me a nice variation of running types in a single session.

I just find I get quicker results, amazing bursts of energy, and I don’t have to wait for a sweat-stained, over-worked treadmill in a sea full of gym-bunnies who are just there for the social scene!

Body-Weight Strength Workouts

I do this without even needing equipment. It’s called body-weight training and I love the results it produces.

When it comes to upper body exercises, you want to target your arms, chest, and shoulders. You don’t need torturous machines, you can use your own strength. Pushups, dips, and planks are easy exercises and some of the most rewarding as they yield fast results.

They’re also easy to perform incorrectly, so whether you follow a YouTube video spend some time mastering the moves so as not to waste your time.

As you get stronger, so you can up your reps or sets – or both.

As for the lower body, some of the best moves to add to your workouts include squats, lunges, and mountain climbers. Don’t forget to add some abdominal work, and you get the entire body done and dusted without setting foot in a gym!

Get Fit Without a Gym Membership

You really don’t need to go all out to get fit. When I want variety, I spice things up with Pilates or I take the family for a ride on our bikes. When I want to relax, I practice yoga.

 

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