I have a treadmill that j didnot buy but kind of inherited. So, I keep my weight in chech with that. The rest of my routine is brisk walking and an occasional yoga/ burnout exercises. I keep fit by watching my diet and exercises target muscles without lifting weights. However, you can lift sand in buckets of different weights if you can't afford dumbells.
Almost everything that is done at home involves saving money, including working out. I am currently doing physiotherapy, and the days I am not going to their location, I am doing the exercises at home, for free. If we think of it, most of the workout we do at a gym, we could do it at home.
@to7update your mention about physiotherapy reminded me of my friend who was suffering from Spondylitis and had to go to a physiotherapist every day for stretching exercises but he found an apparatus that he installed in his own home and did the weight training and stretching spending 30 minutes. H e recovered the cost of that apparatus within a week and he still uses it whenever he feels pain in his neck.
I have a pair of 1-kg and 2-kg dumbbell at home and i use them occasionally to tone my arm muscles. Other than that, I like taking long walks in the evening after work. I wish I have a stationary bike at home but this is not a priority at the moment. What I'm looking at, in its place, is going to a low priced gym near our subdivision. That gym does not charge membership fees and only charges less than $1 for an unlimited session. At this price, it wouldn't hurt much to diversify my workout by going to the gym once a week. Besides, that would also mean supporting a local business.
@Ray1 Pretty much! In my particular case, I don't spend that much in physio, as I have a good health plan, but I have bought weights that I am using at home, and those will last me for a life time. As everything else in life, it's all about doing the math to see what benefits us the most, and how we can save some money,
This idea may seem like a very interesting way to save money, but if the exercises aren't well conducted you can easily get hurt and what was to end up being an economy can become an even greater expense (medical expenses and medicines, for example).
I don't deny that guidance is something very important @Shine_Spirit, but at the same time, if we have spent let's say a few months in the gym, I suppose we have learned the exercises, and we can replicate them easily at home saving money. Unless we have no need for that of course.
If you have at least the basic gym instruments for example the pull up bars, running on the spot and few others you may be good to go. You would have to be acquainted with the training skills and tutorials. How about paying an instructor to come put you through at home during the beginning stages and when you get use to the skills practically and theoretically then you can do all yourself
@Shine_Spirit I tend to agree with you but if your purpose is only to run on the treadmill or lift bars to build your muscles then a workout in gym is not worth but one can do it easily at his own place or at far cheaper gym made in his own place. I think some of us go to gym just to show off or to mingle with our friends who are already there.
My habit since I was a teenager was to do my exercise at home – push ups and dumbbells although now it is more of the hand grip exerciser than the dumbbells. I had received countless of offers for a free gym membership from friends. For the discounts, they have great packages as low as $5 a month for an unlimited session in the gym. Isn’t that very cheap? But for me, it is cheaper to do my workout at home, that also saves me the hassle of going to the gym and hunting for a space to park. But I understand that the young generation prefer the gym so they can workout with their friends. That’s a pretty good idea to socialize although it doesn’t apply to me because I’m already a senior.
@to7update I think the best way to save on Gym bills is to postpone that visit to the gym off until tomorrow. And when the tomorrow comes .... hey the tomorrow never comes so you save money for one more day and you can do it again on another tomorrow which never comes.
lol @Ray1. The thing is, I've never done gym in my life, but I do need it to lose some weight, and to become better at my sport, which is tennis. My wife is talking to me about it a lot, so apparently this month we will signup for a gym close to my place, and even have a dedicated plan according to my needs. Let's see how it goes!
Toby's is actually a good place to look for cheap exercise equipment. I remember my bro bought his exercise machine and dumbbells there. Dumbbells aren't really that expensive though, so you're better off buying them brand new.
It may seem to be a good Idea to save money by working out at home as opposed to acquiring a gym membership. However, it may not be true in all cases. There is a motivation factor that many people may require to maintain an effective fitness regime and the participation and interaction at the gym are what many may require for maintaining the interest. Often times people buy expensive gym equipment to do their own thing at home only to soon lose interest and the equipment remain idle because of lack of motivation.
@to7update I wish you were here in my place where they follow you to join tennis and cricket clubs for free of cost. Besides tennis you could go for swimming and cycling which are other good ways of getting rid of extra pounds. I am very much in walking, jogging and biking almost without fail that has helped keep me under control even after I am no more in regular sports practice anymore.
What, playing tennis is free where you live @Ray1? Well, that's great if it's the case, I'd love it! I finally started gym and I discovered that I can have pain in places I never imagined lol, but I suppose this is the price I have to pay for never worked out before.
My nephew had several weights equipments which he had improvised. I often saw him doing some work out for himself. He did it according to his pace and frequency of doing it. He did it without someone to work on or given him the instruction. I know why he is doing that to avoid the high rate of gym membership and rent for the equipment used. That is the very reason why I join with him for my personal work out. I just borrow his weights, dumbbells, and other light improvised work outs gadgets. I only spend time, efforts and perspiration. I never spend any penny for such work out.
@to7update Pain in places and I guess a hole in your pocket lol. But as you said that's the price you pay for not being in the business before, however, I would suggest you to not leave your membership midway due to stiffness of the joints that is part of the practice in initial stages. I suggest you to find out a community tennis club (if that exists in your country). That will cost you only the price of equipment and tennis balls on share basis.
I've been playing tennis for years, and I've always paid for it lol, there is no such thing here as free tennis courts. As for the gym price, it's not too bad, full access for me, wife and 2 kids for 50 something euros/month, so it's a bargain price I believe, for top facilities and services. I am happy with it.
@to7update Thankfully we have such facilities available in my country in local clubs where we the initial membership and use rest of the facilities on share basis. As far my present location is concerned here they offer certain games on promotional schemes right from the childhood stage to develop interest of children in certain games. There are number of sports facilities on either subsidized rates or free of cost.