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Exercises to do outside the gym?

CassieReannan

I cant sign up to a gym because I dont have a job and a full time student, therefore pretty much all my benefits go into my diet food.
I have been walking and recently I have wanted a change... It gets boring after a while. I have been doing crunches and stretches too but that too gets boring.
All I have is a skipping rope and a shake weight...
What exercises do you do (in public)? and when you're not at the gym?

Replies

thekarens

If you're a college student usually they have a gym that you can use for free when there's no classes going on. Other than that there's bike riding, skating, swimming, etc.

TAMMYCLARK62

try hiking, or walking a bit and then running a bit, also I had a lot of fun at the playground swinging the other day and my legs were pretty sore from this.....think of some things that are fun and it won't get boring

CassieReannan

If you're a college student usually they have a gym that you can use for free when there's no classes going on. Other than that there's bike riding, skating, swimming, etc.

I live in Australia, and at my university it costs $40 a week to use the gym.
I live 45 minutes from my university and am only there once a week.. plus Ill have a limit of 1 - 2 hrs there because I have class for 9 hrs straight.
Not worth a quarter of my fortnightly benefits for 2 gym sessions.

lizal76t

Try getting some friends together to kick a soccer ball around or play basketball. Even if you aren't good at either (I'm not) it is a fun way to exercise and will motivate you to do it more often b/c your friends are involved!

summer827

I guess it depends on just where you're walking, but you could throw in some sprints, jumping jacks, squats, walking lunges, push-ups on a park bench...

That stinks that there is a charge to use your university's gym! I miss being in college and having access to the fitness center included in tuition.

bashiera

I understand your frustration. I'm also in college and we don't have a gym and I can't afford one. So, I do body weight exercises and DVDS at home. You can find some decent workout videos on youtube for free or on amazon for less than 20 dollars. A quick google search for "body weight exercise" will tun up some great results. Don't underestimate squats, lunges, push-ups, tri-dips off a porch. You can use milk jugs as weights, or take empty ones and add sand, stone, or water for more weight. Map a run or jog, do some intense dancing around your room for 5 minutes then to squats and burpees. Just some ideas.

EmmaM2211

I cant afford a gym membership either (skint graduate! lol) I do exercise videos (some great ones on youtube for free) running up and down the stairs, swimming, jogging, gardening, squats, push-ups, sit-ups, walking/hiking

I dont have a bike but if you do cycling is a great one too.

There are plenty of free exercises and I actually prefer doing stuff at home or out in the country than being stuck in a sweaty gym. That said when I have a few spare pennies I'll go to a zumba class or something.

xx

summer827

Oh, yes...2nd tricep dips and burpees! Rows with that filled milk jug or something heavy.

thebigcb

There are so many exercises you can do without using weights or being in the gym

Legs
Military Squats
Lunges
Calf raiser(just on a step/bottom of the stairs)
Skipping

Upper body
Jumping Jacks
Press ups,
Chair Dips

Core/Overall
Burpees
Situps,
Mountain climbers
Planks

The list is endless

Buddhasmiracle

Are you near any parks with fitness trails (running/walking trails with exercise "stations")? Do you and your friends play hackey sack (small leather ball that you kick around, keeping up in the air)-- it's a great workout! I think another poster's suggestion of getting together with some friends and just kicking and chasing a soccer ball around is great too.

sc1572

Walking, running, jogging...mix these up in intervals. Do some interval training with your jump rope and conditioning exercises, try out some Zumba or workout DVDs, etc.. These are what I do when I don't have access to a gym!

sufikitkat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_2CninWeEE

This is a link to at home exercises my gym put together for all of their different group trainings. It is a very effective cardio/strength workout and takes about 30-40 minutes total. Hope this helps!

jonesyuno34

I am in the same situation, sort of. I cannot afford to a membership to the local YMCA ($8 for one day, almost $700 for a family per year), so my exercising is at home. I just keep it simple: running, jumping jacks and such to get my heart rate up, and pushups, squats, crunches like you said, to work the muscles.

Some of these other suggestions are great too. Grab a basketball and shoot around, or just go for a vigorous walk. The possibilities are endless...

brookepenni

Try orienteering! It's all around Australia (I do it in Canberra) and its great fun. It's only $5 or so a week, you don't need anything much (unless you want your own compass and that's just for some types of orienteering, they don't all use them) and its a good social sport. Google Orienteering Act/nsw/Vic etc to find out more!!

hanniejong

Check out your local parks and see if they have any gym equipment. I live in a small town in Australia and at our footy ground we have 4 stations of gym equipment, there are 8 pieces in all and they are free for us to use. Also I am surprised that you College/Uni is charging $40 to use there gym when most gym's only charge $14-$15 dollars. I have just priced a few. Then there is dancing which you can do at home to your favourite music, get a hula hoop that is fun. Do you have a basket/netball if so why not make use of the netbal courts around town. There are endless possibilities. if you just give it some thought and find a buddy to exercise with that makes it more fun too.

bethagon

I'm not sure what it's like in Australia, but in the UK, there are loads of free swimming programs for under 18s, over 60s, students etc

Starla_

There are so many exercises you can do without using weights or being in the gym

Legs
Military Squats
Lunges
Calf raiser(just on a step/bottom of the stairs)
Skipping

Upper body
Jumping Jacks
Press ups,
Chair Dips

Core/Overall
Burpees
Situps,
Mountain climbers
Planks

The list is endless

This ^

All of my exercises are done at home. I started off with no equipment other than my body and even now that i have gotten a few things (love my local freecycle group) i still mainly do bodyweight routines. They are fantastic.

OSUloulou

Everyone has given you great ideas already, but I thought I would add to it. Is there a building with lots of outside steps? Or a local school sports stadium with bleachers? I think climbing stairs is a great cardio. Maybe walk to a location with steps, climb stairs, hold some planks, then walk home. Vary the location you walk to. Maybe climb inside steps one day and outside steps another day. Good luck!

ChristinaOlliver

When I didn't have a gym membership one of the things I would do is run up and down the bottom step on my staircase (does this make any sense at all?! lol), using it as an aerobic step.

thebigcb

I am actually going to do these this evening instead of an 8k run, give the legs a break

k8blujay2

You can go walking/jogging/running... go buy a couple of handweights 3-8 pounds and I know some womens health magazines will have some workouts you can do posted online for free...

TeaBea

Exercise videos - try some freebies first to get an idea of what you like:

Hulu.com has a health & fitness channel with lots of videos. http://www.hulu.com/genres/Health-and-Wellness?type=tv

Youtube has tons of free videos. This is "walking" low impact, can be done in a dorm room. Bump it up with handweights.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnsfbneFQ_8&feature=related