Four Gym Alternatives to Keep You Fit & Healthy
Has that extreme form of dread ever set in, the one where you realise your time to go to the gym is nearing?
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Scenario one: you wake up at 2:15am and count the number of hours left before your dreaded alarm goes off to wake you up for the gym. Three hours fifteen minutes, and counting...
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Scenario two: you check the time at work and realise that, in an hour, you’ll be leaving your desk to head to the gym. Immediately, you start to think of excuses – “I have too much work to do”, “it’s cold outside”, “the gym is going to be so full.”
We’ve all been there, and who can blame us? We seem to associate the gym with exhaustion and unfitness. Because of this existential dread, we’d like to suggest some alternatives to slogging it out on the treadmill for what feels like hours.
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Join a Walking, Jogging or Running Club
Running, jogging or walking really can be for everyone. Joining a running club will immediately encourage you to start reaching your fitness goals, whatever they may be. A commitment to a club also helps counteract any excuses you might try and make to skip your walk or jog (we all do this!). With 350 athletics clubs nationwide, finding a club you like that’s near where you live shouldn’t be too difficult. Browse your options here.
The benefits of joining a club are endless, and so picking a top three was difficult. But here goes:
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Even if you struggled during your walk or run, you’ll still feel the endorphins pumping through your veins afterwards, which is hopefully motivation enough for you to attend the next club session. Ever heard of the term ‘runner’s high’? This is why most runners run!
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More often than not, walking or running club members become great friends. This is because they share a common interest and a similar reason for joining.
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You’ll begin to set and reach goals. Your reason for running might be fitness, weight loss or mental health. No matter which, as soon as you reach your first goal, you’ll begin to love walking and running even more.
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Join a Fitness Club
Alternatively, instead of joining a running club, consider other forms of exercise as an alternative to the gym. Dance, boxing or yoga are all options to consider. Burning calories in a different way to what you usually would in a gym is a great way to improve your fitness. As well as that, you’ll improve your overall feelings towards working out, and new activities will highlight to you how your fitness is improving.
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Set up Your Own Home Gym
This is often thought of as an expensive thing to do, but we’ve compiled a list of all the equipment you need to set up your own effective home gym. This is an alternative to heading to an actual gym, which might be busy or far away from home.
What you’ll need:
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Exercise mat
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Kettlebells
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Skipping rope
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Aerobic band
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Dumbbell
You can find all of this at a retailer like McSport or even online (just spare a thought for the courier if you’re ordering kettlebells!) A home gym is great for when you don’t feel like working out around other people, and is also brilliant for those mornings and evenings when leaving the house is just not an option. This happens to all of us, so having a gym alternative in the form of a good home set-up will ensure you keep your fitness a priority!
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Book Yourself a Spot at a Pure Results Bootcamps
Pure Results fitness retreats focus on two essential lifestyle changes: weight loss and fitness. These boot camps are designed for both women and men of all fitness levels. So, if you’re feeling down in the dumps about skipping the gym, this is for you. If you’re looking to improve your self-esteem, this is for you. And even if you’re just looking for something that will help you escape the city for a couple of days to focus on yourself, this is definitely for you!
Because we’re all about health and fitness, we hope that some of these ideas will improve your fitness experiences and help you incorporate new practices into your everyday lives. After all, we all know the benefits of health and fitness are truly endless.