Get fit on the cheap- suggestions?

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  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    So- anyone else doing things for free, for cheap?

    Bodyweight resistance work like You Are Your Own Gym can be pretty demanding and complementary to CV work like running
  • granturismo
    granturismo Posts: 232 Member
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    You Are Your Own Gym,.., Nike Training Club app, borrow workout DVDs from the library....
    And take advantage of those trails!

    I second 'You are your own gym' if you have a bit more dedication than me.

    Also this book - The Official British Army Fitness Guide. Its about £10 on amazon.co.uk and $18 on amazon.com. It has day by day fitness plans similar to many apps, with good background information.
  • GillianMcK
    GillianMcK Posts: 401 Member
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    Cut some fallen tree log sections in the forest and use as weights, set up a harness and drag logs/old tyres behind you on your run/walk??
  • Topsking2010
    Topsking2010 Posts: 2,245 Member
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    Checkout hasfit and fitness blender. Also do bodyweight exercises and start running.
  • angdpowers
    angdpowers Posts: 311 Member
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    I often times do free workout videos on youtube.

    Most of them are aerobics like taebo, zumba, jillian michaels

    But with some weights (you can find those for cheap if you look around) and there are a lot of resistant/lifting stuff on there too.
  • carlywitham
    carlywitham Posts: 6 Member
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    I've just really got into working out in my spare room - I struggled to find free videos that I got on with - found all the trainers really irritating!
    I now LOVE Popsugarfitness.com - tons of free videos from 10-40 mins and you can mix and match. They are really starting to make a difference in my body shape and are easy to squeeze in before or after work. Good luck!
  • DMicheleC
    DMicheleC Posts: 171 Member
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    Also instead of weights, try using different size bottles of water as weights or tins, I used to do this before I got my own set and it worked great. I'm doing Jillian Michaels 30 day shred at the minute that was £5 on Amazon. Good luck
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    A friend of mine has a TRX set that she puts up over tree branches in the forest. It might be out of your budget, but it's bulky.
    TRX is just some tie down straps with handles from what I can see, nothing special - and a lot of the exercises can be done without as traditional body weight exercises anyway.

    I would look to what is being offered second hand locally - can often get a basic weights set with bench for not much at all.

    Make your own rack from some trees :).
  • jmnicholas
    jmnicholas Posts: 58 Member
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    Use tinned produce as weights to start with! A can of beans/rice pudding can help get you started with small weights, and sacks of potoatoes as you work up!
  • greenmeena
    greenmeena Posts: 118 Member
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    These are all excellent, and clever, suggestions- thank you so much! I may do some trail running with a backpack, gradually adding weight, that could be fun too.
    Today, it's still snowing, I'm going to get in some x-c skiing.
    cheers!
  • eganita
    eganita Posts: 501 Member
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    I noticed these on the Livestrong website one day, though I haven't tried them out at this point. In theory, they sounded similar to Insanity/T25 (programs which I've done/am doing and find to be effective).

    http://www.livestrong.com/blog/10-free-workouts-get-fitter-stronger/

    Hope this helps! Sorry if anyone else already posted this.
  • jlynnm70
    jlynnm70 Posts: 460 Member
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    Body weight stuff is great no or little weight needed. If you want to do stuff that has some weight - find things around the house and determine their weights. A gallon jug of water (fill old milk jug) 8#, a Ream of 20# paper = 5#. Take a couple from by the computer printer and put one or two (or whatever) in a canvas grocery bag and do curls or dumbell rows (one guy on the internet even does it with a loaded suitcase) You can also hold the bag (or maybe a back pack) while walking, doing squats, etc. Sometimes when you are broke, you just have to be creative. I also love the ideas of using things you can find in nature. move branches, pull ups on the tree, etc.

    I'm pretty broke, but my super supportive hubby has been helping me watch for small things on clearance, etc. I got a set of 5# dumbells for $5, a weighted hoola hoop $7, a pedometer on craigslist for $10 (with a built in radio for walks), Over the last 3 months, I've tried to spend about $10-15 a month on something I can use around the house rather than a going to a gym. So far - it's working.
  • Gordo1981
    Gordo1981 Posts: 59 Member
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    Bodyweight exercise such as "You are your own gym". There is a phone app for it and it is really easy to follow. I use it when I'm travelling and can't get to a gym.

    This. I have heard convict conditioning is awesome too. Fitness Blender on Youtube.

    If you want to splurge once you can look into a system like TRX. They have cheaper versions of it I have heard good things about and that can give you a great full body workout.
    I agree with people suggesting body-weight exercises, depending on where you were in your lifting program you may have to work on some of the forms that adjust to higher difficulty, maybe not standard push-up but Diamond or something like that. http://strength.stack52.com/periodic-table-of-bodyweight-exercises/ has a bit of a chart

    Also you can make your own TRX type system at home with some webbing. There are a few good sites but I have forgotten the links a quick internet search would turn something up I bet!
  • clyn27
    clyn27 Posts: 102 Member
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    I use youtube a lot. A lot of the stuff you find there will only have the first level of a work out but if you pick several different work outs your body wont get too used to the first level of something. I have also found several $10 work out dvds at walmart. The quality sucks and they are super cheesy but the work out its self is good. I once bought a yoga dvd from the dollar store. It was an hour long and kicked my *kitten* but it looked like some one just did it in there house and the sound quality was terrible. you get what you pay for as far as quality but its the work out that counts. I have heard good things about resistant bands for strength. They are cheap and don't take up too much space.
  • alyrpal
    alyrpal Posts: 8 Member
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    Weights dont burn many calories. Get a cheap mountain bike and hit those trails - 700 or more calories per hour, and fresh air!

    Al

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