Last week, Lindsey, our relatively-new marketing assistant and the author of Living the Life, discussed her toils in finding a gym to fit her needs and her budget. These days, as Lindsey found out, it’s not cheap to belong to a gym that you feel comfortable using the equipment without toting around your own bottle of disinfectant. While there are definite benefits to a gym - variety, camaraderie, expensive equipment, with just a little forethought, you can get the same (or better) workout in your own apartment and save the $500-1,000 a year.
Most work-outs have three or so components (or, at least, you should be rotating through the three major classes of exercise): cardio, strength and flexibility. Let’s tackle each one separately.
Cardio. Cardio can be both the easiest and the toughest to do outside a gym. It’s the easiest because there is a substitute that few don’t have access to: running or walking outside. It’s the toughest because, if you can’t run or don’t like running, most gyms offer big, expensive cardio equipment (stationary bikes (or spinning classes), ellipticals and stairmasters) that is difficult to replicate at home without a major investment.
If running or biking isn’t your thing, take a page from your fifth grade gym teacher. Good ol’ fashioned calisthenics are the way to go. It sounds old school, but try doing jumping jacks for two minutes. You are guaranteed to have an elevated heart rate and be out of breath - even if you are used to running five-plus miles. But, two minutes of jumping jacks, while it puts you in an anaerobic state, doesn’t get you the twenty or so minutes of cardio that is good for you. Again, think gym class.
Buy a jump rope (invest in a decent one - $20 or so). Or, try some shadow boxing or butt-kicks. These can be sustained and really do produce good, solid cardio workouts.
Strength. With a few inexpensive hand weights, you can pretty much achieve what the big weight machines do for you. Or, if you really want to scrimp, use your body’s own weight. Push ups, plank, pull-ups and plyometrics (which also provides cardio) are all free. And, if you want to splurge a bit, buy a couple of kettle bells. Unlike hand weights, they provide no negative phase, thereby increasing your workout. They are also very flexible and add a little variety to your work out. (By the way, throw some ab work in to work your core - also free.)
Flexibility. Flexibility is the third leg on the work-out stool, and it’s the easiest to achieve at home. Yes, yoga classes are great, but you can replicate the same moves with doing some simple stretching at home. A $20 yoga video can also provide cardio and strength as well as show you proper technique.
Like most things, you have to make the most out of what you have. It may not give you everything that you are looking for, but, by investing $50 in a good jump rope, some weights and a video, you can get your workout in and save some serious coin.
Any other tips on the home gym?
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