Working out is one of those things that is easy to put off. This is due to our busy schedules and financial circumstances. Furthermore, an active lifestyle has become difficult to attain due to the proclivity to be sedentary. Also, there is the misconception that unless you are sweating, you are not working out or burning calories. This is far from being true. Any type of physical activity will burn calories. The key is staying active. Sure, the intensity of a workout impacts how many calories you burn, but not everyone can perform vigorous exercises. Sometimes individuals suffer from chronic conditions that allow them to only perform mild exercises. Guess what? There is nothing wrong with that. The important part is that you get on your feet and move.

Another misconception is that you must have a gym membership to be able to have an effective work out. This is also not true. You can work out in any number of places such as outdoors or in your own home. I will go over 7 workouts that do not require a gym membership. These workouts can also be performed in small increments, and they can be accommodating to your busy schedule as you do not have to follow a specific constraint such as the gym’s working hours. By incorporating a few of these into your lifestyle, you will start to see improvements in your fitness and overall health.

7 workouts that do not require a gym membership

Walking

The beautiful thing about walking is that you can walk just about anywhere. For beginners there is your own neighborhood where you can walk a few blocks and you do not even have to get in your car for this. Some other great spots for walks include parks, trails and of course the beach if you happen to have access to one. Walking is not only good for your cardiovascular health, but it is also excellent for your mental health. Being in nature allows you to relax and be with your thoughts. Most importantly, it allows you to clear your thoughts.

Riding a Bike

Riding a bike is a little bit more involved than walking, but it is also an excellent cardiovascular activity and great for the mind as well. There is the initial cost of purchasing the bike, but once you have one, it makes for a great hobby. You can ride the bike on a trail or in a park. You may also be able to ride it in your neighborhood if the traffic is not too crazy.

Swimming

Swimming is very easy on your joints, and it also improves your cardiovascular health. If you live near a beach, then you are in luck during the warmer months. However, during the cold months swimming may be a little bit harder to arrange unless you have your own indoor heated pool. Not to worry thou because you may have access to low-cost swimming halls in your community, such as the YMCA. You can look these up easily on Google.

Aerobics

If you have enough space for a yoga mat, then you can most likely incorporate some aerobics as a form of cardiovascular workout. There are many Apps out there that walk you through the exercises or you can create your own routine. For instance, you can start with 20 jumping jacks, 20 push ups, 25 squats and repeat the routine 3 to 5 times.

Resistance Training

The beauty about resistance training is that you can do it with your own bodyweight. However, having a set of resistance bands can definitely be helpful. Resistance bands are a great investment, and they are inexpensive. As an alternative, you can also use the resistance of your own body for many exercises including pushups, planks, single-leg squats, side planks and bicycle crunches just to name a few.

Yoga

Doing yoga may not get your heart rate up like walking or swimming but if you do it for a longer period of time it can most certainly burn some calories. The best part about yoga is that you can do it in your own home with very little space. However, you can also pack up your yoga mat and do yoga at the beach or a park for the full relaxation experience in nature.

Pilates

Pilates is very similar to yoga and also does not take up much space. So, you can do it in the comfort of your own home. All you need is a little space and your yoga mat. Maybe you can push that livingroom table to the side to make some space. As for a mat, you can find a large selection on Amazon. You can also make your pilates time more fun by using a stretching rope or by playing music. Sometimes, when I do Pilates or yoga, I like to play some calming music, which has proven to help with the relaxation aspect.

Conclusion

The above mentioned 7 workouts do not require a gym membership and they are inexpensive. One of the things I would like to mention is that you should always pay attention to your posture when working out. A good posture ensures that you are using a full range of motion and that you are preventing injuries from occurring. Staying injury free is important because it allows you to stay consistent with your workouts. When you have to take time off due to an injury that resulted from poor posture, you risk losing the consistency factor, which is already so difficult to attain in our busy lives. So, get on those feet and go move mindfully and with a purpose.

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