Because gym memberships & gym equipment are slightly overrated.
Even if you’re a fan of the exercise clubs, cults and classes, forget about your set of dumbbells and machine sitting in the corner. Keep it simple: drop the weights and max out on the minimal. If you’re unable to maintain a regular gym routine, skip the monthly fee and save money on the personal trainer. To get a killer workout without any equipment, read on. This plan is perfect for travellers, penny-pinchers and the ones that lead an active lifestyle (most of the time).
The game changer: cardio
Ugh, it’s time to get over the groan that is cardio. Sorry, not sorry.
While this physical category of exercise tends to get a bad rap, it offers a wide range of low, medium and high impact (equipment-free) moves and combos. Earning a few points for versatility, cardio is as easy as getting up and going. The best part: there’s no treadmill required. No need to watch the time tick by or the calorie count move one by one. The struggle is real.
The oh so obvious: running
Lace up, plug in and hit the pavement.
Easily accessible and largely beneficial, rain or shine, running is all about becoming one with the road. OR if you’re not into stepping one foot in front of the other for the next hour at a thank you, not happening pace, meet your new friend: the burpee.
The do it on the daily: bodyweight exercises
Burpees, squats, lunges, bridges, push ups, bicycle crunches, jumping jacks, high knees, mountain climbers, plank — the list goes on and on. Through reps and sets, change working on your running speed for building your muscle. Super easy to do and practice at home, bodyweight exercises require only a small amount of space and no equipment. From head to toe, follow a tabata style program to target every area of the body and smash your next HIIT session. Tip: head to a local green space or park to take advantage of the space or get creative with the public equipment (i.e. monkey bars for chin ups, platforms or benches for tricep dips). Feel free to expand your routine to include yoga poses on your quick cool downs to improve your agility, balance and state of mind.
The next best thing: swimming
Grab your goggles and make a splash.
Switch from building your muscle to building your endurance.
Widely considered one of the best ways to get (and stay) in shape, swimming and treading water is often overlooked by friends of fitness. Choose from a number of strokes — front, back, breast, side — to achieve a full-body workout and experience many important health benefits. Hello, core, health + lungs.