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Fun Workout Suggestions?

phoenixsxflight
phoenixsxflight Posts: 20 Member
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Hey Guys,


I've been on the workout train (seriously) for about three weeks now. And it's great - however, there's only so many times that one can get on the treadmill/ elliptical and stare at oneself in the mirror.

I'm looking for more interesting and mainly cheap workouts to engage in - to replace some of my cardio days. I'd LOOOOOVE to go to more dance classes, or maybe even Yoga, but I just don't have the money. So, Collective, any great ideas on how to keep my mind occupied while still getting my cardio in?

Replies

  • david081
    david081 Posts: 489 Member
    Where do you live? I walk - it costs nothing...

    Rgds, david
  • eellis2000
    eellis2000 Posts: 465 Member
    jillian michaels workout dvd's at walmart are only $9 each and they are great workouts
  • BigBeaver
    BigBeaver Posts: 858 Member
    Do you like to shop?? Seriously, go to a mall and walk around for a few hours, even at a slow to moderate pace, you will burn a ton of calories, without thinking about it, and get to do something you enjoy, even if it is window shopping,
  • mandyarostegui
    mandyarostegui Posts: 17 Member
    Have you checked out your local community center for workout classes? Ours has a big variety for only $3 a class! Zumba, bootcamp, circuit training, etc!

    I particularly love anything Turbo by Chalene Johnson... Turbo Fire is AMAZING. Blasts tons of calories and the music is awesome!

    Getting some friends together and going walking, going to a dance class... maybe playing a game of basketball or something like that? Make it silly and fun to where it doesn't feel like you're working out?!

    Good luck :)
  • ChristinaKY
    ChristinaKY Posts: 28 Member
    If you do want to try out some work out DVDs but don't want to invest the money just yet, you should check out your local library. I am a Reference Librarian and our library has several popular workout DVDs available to check out for free for a week at a time. You never know, your library may even be able to lead you to groups that get together to work out for free. Good luck!
  • amylynn96
    amylynn96 Posts: 114 Member
    Boxing!!!! Fantastic full body cardio workout, its fun!! i love it! you learn technique and combos not to mention self deffense and learning to hit hard!!
  • vzepol
    vzepol Posts: 131 Member
    If the weather is nice where you are, give Disk (frisbee) golf a try. It is a lot of fun, generally free and gets you outside for a little while.
  • mauryr
    mauryr Posts: 385
    My gym - the YMCA - has lots of classes that are included in the (very reasonable) membership of $45/month. I don't usually take advantage of these, because my schedule is too erratic.

    However, I have taken up Racquetball, which is also available at many Y's. It takes some time and discipline to develop enough skill to play at a level where you are doing real cardio, but it's worth it.

    When I first started learning, I played alone, standing about 5 feet from the wall and just slowly bouncing the ball against the wall, with a "loaner" racket. I'm a complete spaz, so it was kinda embarrassing, even though no-one was watching.

    After several of these early, more "spazzy" sessions I got a little better. Then, whenever I played, I worked up a significant sweat. Gradually, I continued to improve, and after about a month of this kind of practice, I played a game with an actual person. It was still a little embarrassing, and I got soundly clobbered, but it was really fun, and my partner was patient - he laughed with me, not at me. I continued to improve, and after a couple of months I had a set of "regulars" with whom I played, on a regular schedule - and I still do, to this day. It's now been around 6 months or so. The others tell me that now I'm "really coming up the ranks" - but they're just being nice, I'm sure....

    If you play "casually" you burn about 534 cals/hour... if you play "hard" you burn a whopping 766 cals/hour. ( http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc ) Both are similar to the elliptical in terms of calorie burn, and I can tell you from experience that your cardio-pulmonary system is worked hard. You definitely hit - and sustain - the high end of your cardio capacity, if you are playing with someone at a similar skill level to your own. You'll be breathing really hard, and sweating like crazy. I regularly lose about 3-4 lbs of water weight after a few good games.

    Best of all, it's really, really fun! I don't win many games, but I always enjoy playing and making friends with the other players. If given a choice between r-ball and elliptical machine, r-ball wins every time, for me. After 6 or so months, r-ball continues to hold my interest, and keeps me motivated enough to go to the gym several times a week.

    Before I joined MFP, I lost about 30 lbs just playing racquetball 3 days a week, for between 30 and 60 minutes at each session, in less than 3 months. I've lost over 55 lbs in total, in a little over 6 months at this point - I've added cardio and weights to my routine though.

    I hope that you consider this - it really helped me get motivated, and stay on track for a while now, and I don't foresee any end in sight!

    My $0.02

    -Maury
  • phoenixsxflight
    phoenixsxflight Posts: 20 Member
    Living in LA - there's no such thing as walking here. Lol
  • fitbot
    fitbot Posts: 406
    i could never live there. I walk / bike everywhere.
  • thektturner
    thektturner Posts: 228 Member
    If you have Netflix, look in the Instant Watch stuff - there's a bunch of workout vids and it'd be free.
  • phoenixsxflight
    phoenixsxflight Posts: 20 Member
    If you do want to try out some work out DVDs but don't want to invest the money just yet, you should check out your local library. I am a Reference Librarian and our library has several popular workout DVDs available to check out for free for a week at a time. You never know, your library may even be able to lead you to groups that get together to work out for free. Good luck!


    I think this is a FANTASTIC IDEA that I hadn't thought about before.
    I'll definitely check into it, as it's definitely on my level of cheap.
    Thank you!
  • phoenixsxflight
    phoenixsxflight Posts: 20 Member
    If you have Netflix, look in the Instant Watch stuff - there's a bunch of workout vids and it'd be free.

    I don't have Netflix, but do you think there'd be anything on Hulu?
  • phoenixsxflight
    phoenixsxflight Posts: 20 Member

    After several of these early, more "spazzy" sessions I got a little better. Then, whenever I played, I worked up a significant sweat. Gradually, I continued to improve, and after about a month of this kind of practice, I played a game with an actual person. It was still a little embarrassing, and I got soundly clobbered, but it was really fun, and my partner was patient - he laughed with me, not at me. I continued to improve, and after a couple of months I had a set of "regulars" with whom I played, on a regular schedule - and I still do, to this day. It's now been around 6 months or so. The others tell me that now I'm "really coming up the ranks" - but they're just being nice, I'm sure....

    I would really LOVE to get back into something and stick with it. Up until the beginning of college soccer was my sport. But I busted my knee. Do yo uknow if YMCA let's you take classes without being a member - or possibly register for a specific class or sport?
This discussion has been closed.

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