Working out is part of our everyday lives, whether you know you're doing it or not. Daily exercise is important to our health, which is why people prioritize it in their daily schedule. However, there are some people that pay absurd amounts of money to be active.
If you can afford it, great. If you just enjoy the benefits, that is okay, too. But, some people think that they have to go to a gym or participate in workout classes to get the exercise needed throughout the week.
There are many ways to work out and stay fit while keeping saving money. Personally, I have never paid to belong to a fitness or athletic club, and I am in just as good shape as others who pay to go to a gym. Here are six reasons why you do not need a gym to workout that will, I hope, show other ways to stay fit while saving more money.
1. You have more room to workout.
Need a big, open space for a workout? You can grab an exercise buddy to go to a parking lot or a high school track. At school, I used the top of parking garage B as open space for a workout, which is the most fun I have had working out actually. With the open space, you can do conditioning, sprints, and run laps. Then, I use the stairs to do a stair workout. It is an easy and free way to replace the stair climber machine.
2. You can utilize your body weight for free.
Machines at the gym are useful, but your body weight is just as good as an ab cruncher machine. Using your body weight as resistance is a good replacement for machines at the gym. Grab a resistance band, which are just a few dollars online, and tie it to your ankle and a leg workout is all set and ready to go.
3. You can go harder in private.
Gyms attract many people to join, which means you do not get the privacy you could if you just saved your money and worked out outside or at home. I personally do not like working out with a lot of people that I do not know around me. I do not want to feel judged during a workout. Don't you ever just want to complain and whine mid-workout because you want to stop but know you cant? Privacy allows us to be able to do that without people staring. If you can make an at-home workout, you get the same burn you would as if you exercised at the gym and you get the privacy you wished you had at a gym.
4. You can create your own workout classes.
Want the experience of a workout class that a gym would offer? Grab a few or even a bunch of friends and make your own workout! Making a fun playlist for your workout while leading your own session makes exercising so much more fun. This creates the atmosphere of a workout class gyms offer, but filled with people you know and can have fun with.
5. You can take the scenic route and get creative while being active.
Gym scenery can get boring over time. Working out at a park or even just somewhere outside allows for more scenery. This keeps the workout lively and bright. I live next to a state park, so I always either go for a walk or run in there. There are so many trails and loops to run through that it never gets old. Running and walking on a treadmill every day would become so boring. Also, using a playground or a park bench is beneficial to your work out. Squat jumps and plyometric exercises can be done easily with things around the park. I think that working out and running outside is the best way to keep things scenic and peaceful.
6. You can join a club or group and meet others while getting fit.
There are a lot of clubs at schools that offer physical activity opportunities to keep you in shape. These clubs are a good way to save your money and exercise! I joined intramural sports teams to avoid the gym. Though I would use the track, parking garages, and run around campus as well, I think the intramural teams let me stay active and meet a lot of new people who enjoy working out, too.
I swear by these tips and reasons why gyms are not necessary to stay active. I have saved so much money by using the park and my high school track and football stadium. There are so many places you could go instead of a gym to workout, and it could even be your basement or garage. Save your money and quit the gym!
