How to exercise anywhere, anytime when you’re on a budget

Saving money is a major factor in many households, especially when it comes to luxuries like gym and other club memberships.

There is a massive percentage of the population that cannot afford membership to these exclusive clubs and with that the excuse, to not exercise at all often becomes the norm.

Yes, gyms offer a larger variety of classes, different types of exercise machines and gadgets, steam rooms and saunas, plus health professionals like biokineticists and physiotherapist.

But that doesn’t mean if you cannot afford a gym membership you can’t have a good training session in your own private space, or in other public places like parks.

With that being said, there are so many alternatives for training on a small budget.

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Training at home

I am a big advocate of home training because home is where we start and end our days. This means you can wake up earlier than normal to squeeze in a workout before your day starts, or simply end your day with a workout in your private space.

It really is as simple as waking up 30 minutes earlier or going to bed 30 minutes later.

There is a lot that can be done in your living room, garage, garden or verandah. Many have asked if 30 minutes is enough. My answer is, 30 minutes is better than zero minutes.

You don’t even need any equipment but if you do have a small budget, you don’t have to purchase too many items. You can purchase one item at a time and build the gym over a period of time.

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The home gym doesn’t have to be an extra room in your house, it can be a corner in your living room, your verandah or even your garden.

The basic movable equipment you can have as part of your home gym include resistance bands, a variety of dumbbells, medicine ball, skipping rope, Swiss ball (exercise ball), free-standing adjustable step and a yoga mat.

A full workout can be achieved with these items. In addition, when the budget allows, one can add a treadmill or a stationary bike.

You really don’t even need the above equipment at all. A lot can be done with just your own body.

Think of it this way, if you weigh 60kg, you have a 60kg weight at your disposal to help you train. Bodyweight exercises such as squats, jump squats, burpees and push-up burpees can really test the body and help to transform it more than machines and exercise equipment.

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Cardio exercise

Getting a cardio workout anywhere, anytime is also possible without spending too much money.

One of my favourite home cardio workouts is using a skipping rope. Skipping for as little as five minutes can burn many calories and increase your heart rate substantially and have you breaking a good sweat.

It’s one of the most compact pieces of exercise equipment that can fit into a handbag and essentially be used to train anywhere, anytime. They are also very affordable.

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Exercise videos are also a great option for training at home or while travelling. There is so much variety when it comes to exercise videos, like aerobics, boxing, Tae Bo, Pilates, yoga, functional training and even dancing videos. They can be obtained online (YouTube or social media), DVDs or exercise apps.

Another great option for cardio exercise that can be done anywhere, anytime is running or walking in the neighbourhood. All you need to buy is a good pair of running or walking footwear.

Cycling is also another good way to obtain a cardio workout. Bicycles are quite costly nowadays but if your budget can afford it, that’s great.

There are two different options: stationary bikes that one can set up in your home, or a road or mountain bike that can be used outdoors. There are a large variety of bikes on the market as well from various brands.

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Outdoor exercise events

There are so many outdoor exercise events that make exercise fun and exciting on weekends. Many of these have an entrance fee but usually you get your money back in the form of exercise-related gifts.

These events are often found on social media and often include a variety of different exercises such as aerobics, boot camp or dance.

Events such as PopUpGym, Women’s Health Fit Night Out and Trove Wellness offer a great variety of workouts. They often choose fun and interesting locations like rooftops, casinos, zoos and even beaches.

There are also free outdoor exercise events like Parkrun and MyRun, which are run or walked every Saturday and Sunday across the country. Check the Parkrun and MyRun websites for locations.

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So, the options are plentiful. And as a final reminder, a 30-minute workout is only 2% of your day and a 60-minute workout is 4% of your day, so make an effort to achieve three to five days of exercise per week.

The gym is not the only place to get a good workout. You can workout anywhere, anytime. Happy training!

Zulu is a qualified biokineticist and cofounder of PopUpGym. Follow her on Instagram: @letshego.zulu; Twitter: @letshegom; Facebook: Letshego Zulu

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