Skip The Gym! Do This Instead!

by BR Kellie

'Your form is horrible!'

And just like that, as those four words echoed from one side of the gym, where a random trainer was working with a client, over to me, where I was trying my best to squat on a hydraulic machine, my short-lived career as a gym enthusiast ended in a hot wave of shame and embarassment for being called out so publicly.

To be fair, I was never that enthusiastic about going to the gym, but it was the late nineties and gyms were the thing to do, and having eaten and partied my way into a rather unhealthy state, I was determined to get a strong, fit body. Until humiliation struck. Since then I've become a fan of any and every kind of exercise that does not involve shelling out loads of cash in order to sweat next to strangers. Something that has come in handy during a pandemic where the last thing I want to do is share space with those who are not my nearest and dearest.

So what are the other non-gym going ways we can keep our body's moving, with the added bonus of not having to spend any moolah? 

Discover Your Neighbourhood!

It's easy to get stuck in the same old loop when going for a walk, run or cycle. You plot your course, you go for it, and soon enough you know your route so well you could do it blindfolded. At this point one might stop out of boredom, but when a case of the boredomes strike that's the time to change things up. I've taken to expanding my walking path (due to past injury I stick to walking). Going left when I would usually go right. Going straight for longer. Even walking the opposite way to that which I usually would. It keeps things interesting and you never know what you might see!

Go Further Afield! 

Need even more of a change of scenery? Check out another suburb! Head out into the bush for your walk and turn it into a hike! If you've a mountain bike try a mountain biking trail. Visit your local beach and wander along that (the sand makes for one heck of a leg workout) while breathing in that lovely, reviving sea air. 

Hit Up YouTube!

There are days when it's raining, or I'm in 'I don't want to deal with the real world' mode, or when I feel like I just need to give my body a different kind of workout. On those days, YouTube is my friend. I'm a massive fan of Yoga with Adriene, and there are also dance workouts you can do if you feel like shaking your booty, not to mention weight workouts where you can utilise whatever you have at home if you don't have actual weights - cans of food and full water bottles for the win! All are great ways to get some exercise in without having to make the effort of leaving your house.

Phone A Friend!

Exercising can feel like a lonely endeavour, but by getting a friend involved it's anything but. You can walk, run, cycle, skip, trampoline, swim - whatever your exercise of choice - together, and not only can it work to further motivate you, but by exercising with someone you like, you can take something that feels like a chore and turn it into a social event.

As always, if you're wanting to start an exercise regime we recommend you talk to a health professional first, but if you're good to go, ditching the gym for the real world is so rewarding, both in the results you can see and in the membership savings you can make! 

So, my lovelies, what do you do outside of the gym to get fit? Is there anything I need to try?

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