While a gym can be a great place to workout, it isn’t always convenient for everyone. Whether it’s a high membership cost, it’s too far away, or a number of other reasons – you may be glad to hear you can still get a great workout in, even if it isn’t at the gym.
Our team has put together 10 great alternatives to a traditional gym for you to still get or stay fit, and to meet whatever goals or resolutions you are trying to keep.
In Your Home
The truth is, the living room is one of the best places to work out. You don’t need any equipment, a car, or even to get dressed. All you need is the motivation to get started and a little space.
Don’t be fooled into thinking your options are limited. You can follow along to an exercise video on Youtube, follow a program on Peloton, dance to music in your living room, or just make up your own exercises.
If your home has a treadmill, that’s halfway to being at the gym. A popular workout regime is this burpee workout that is popular with prisoners. If they can do it in their confined cell, you can find space in your living room or bedroom. You start with a set of 20 reps of burpees. Then, take a rest. Repeat, doing one less burpee each time until you reach zero.
Your Yard
If inside your home feels too cramped or you can’t take up space in common rooms others are trying to use, there’s always outside—specifically, your backyard. Not only can you do all the bodyweight and cardio exercises you could do in your living room, but you can also add extra workout equipment that’s only appropriate outside.
For example, you can set up a mini-gym by stocking up on weights and a barbell or a bench. Other ideas include tires, kettlebells, sandbags, logs, medicine balls, and pull-up bars. There tends to be more privacy in your backyard, too, so you won’t feel self-conscious about other people seeing you.
Public Parks
Go to your local park and take in the beautiful scenery as you exercise. Parks often contain other fit people running around, exercising, or even participating in an aerobics class held in the park. Look up your park’s schedule to see if they offer any classes you can join. Otherwise, you can run, try parkour, and use benches for pushups or dips.
Most parks also include jungle gyms, perfect for arm workouts like pull-ups, chin-ups, and dead hangs. The park is a great place to socialize while exercising. Invite a friend and catch up over a walk.
The Beach
A beach is a place that inspires fitness. We all want to look great in our bathing suits underneath the blazing sun. So many activities burn many calories but are also a great time on the beach.
Play volleyball, throw around a football, swim in the ocean, walk along the beach, or dig a hole. Something about being on the beach makes people want to go for runs. Have you ever tried sprinting up the beach to the sand dunes? The moving sand creates a ton of resistance, making it a perfect cardio and resistance workout.
A Lake
If you live nearby a lake, this is a serene and peaceful setting to try out some watersports. Kayaking, canoeing, tubing, and swimming are taxing activities you can do with friends.
They combine cardio with strength training for the best of both worlds. So even if it’s cold where you live, you can try ice skating if the lake has frozen over.
Dance Studios
If you’re feeling creative and you’re a coordinated type, why not sign up for a dance class? Dance classes can create a schedule that you’ll stick to because it’s social, fun, interactive, and stimulating, not to mention it will keep you in great shape. There are endless styles of dance to choose from, from hip-hop and jazz to contemporary and salsa. Plus, you’ll build a new skillset you can show off the next time you hit the dancefloor.
Trampoline Parks
A trampoline park is a building with rooms that are lined with wall-to-wall trampolines. You can buy a ticket for a specific time allotment and spend about an hour or so jumping, bouncing your friends, doing flips into the foam pit, and practicing your gymnastic skills.
As a recreational gymnast, this is my personal favorite. Even if you can’t do any flips, you’ll nourish your inner child’s desire to jump up and down for hours like you did when you were a kid. It’s great cardio exercise, and time flies. Highly recommend trying it with a group of friends.
Forest Trails
Go on a hike solo or with a friend. You can do this in any wooded area, but if there are any official walking trails in your area, check them out. You get a tremendous sense of accomplishment from completing a walking trail; all you need to do is bring a friend to talk with to pass the time.
Alternatively, you can listen to music and bird-watch. Walking is a great low-impact exercise, or you can run to improve your cardio endurance. To challenge yourself, try trails that have a steep incline. If you prefer to ride bikes, you can look up bike trails and work your way up to the more arduous paths.
Sports Court or Field
You know that obligatory scene in movies when a man runs up and down the bleachers of an empty sports field? There’s a reason for that; it’s killer cardio! Sports fields are the perfect arena for solo exercise and ample space.
Fields are ideal for tumbling and playing football or soccer, but you can also play basketball on indoor courts. Use your imagination; you can use the markings on the court to run sprints.
The Mall
You could walk outside on a trail or do it in an air-conditioned mall while picking out cute outfits. You’re burning many calories by spending most of the day on your feet and moving around. Repeatedly trying on clothes, sprinting to each end of the mall, and carrying heavy bags increase the intensity of this activity.