Staying active is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. To many, belonging to a gym and sticking to a routine is a necessary part of living a healthy life. Whether you don’t want to commit to a gym membership or you don’t want to work out amongst other people, there are plenty of alternative ways to get your body moving without having to go to a gym.
- Walking. From a scenic hike to a brisk stride through your neighborhood, walking is a great way to get your blood circulating. Walking offers your body a number of health benefits like strengthening your bones and muscles, improving your balance and coordination, and preventing things like diabetes and heart disease.
- Golfing. Contrary to popular belief, golf is a moderate form of exercise! The best part? It doesn’t require you to have any experience in the fitness world. In addition to working your core, golf is a great stress reliever. Swinging a golf club is minor strength training for your arms and shoulders, while walking through the hills and valleys works the muscles in your quads and hamstrings.
- Bicycling. Riding a bike is a great way to work low-impact cardio into your routine. If you live in an area where the weather is mild all year round, you can incorporate bicycling into your daily routine. Using your bike to get to and from work or running errands can subtly add a healthy activity into your daily life!
- Tennis. Like golf, tennis turns physical activity into something more fun and interactive. Whether you join a league at your community center, find a few friends to play with each week, or even play by yourself. Tennis is an excellent form of cardio as well as a good workout for your muscles and bones.
- Pilates. From your backyard to the office, you can virtually do Pilates anywhere. All you need is an open space and a Wifi connection. Search YouTube for hundreds of videos to guide you through a quick workout that will feel more like a meditation session.
- HIIT Workouts. You don’t need gym equipment to achieve a good HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workout. Look up a circuit online or create a sequence of moves on your own to get the job done. To begin, try four moves done for 30 seconds each with 30 seconds of rest time in between. Repeat the cycle two to three more times. Switching the moves up between cardio and strength training makes the most out of your workout. For example, try a sequence of running with high knees, burpees, squat pulses, and mountain climbers.
You don’t need a gym membership to stay fit! There are plenty of exercises you can do in the comfort of your own living room, office, or backyard. Try these alternatives to a gym membership to achieve your fitness goals.