Thursday, February 21, 2013

Looking for a Cheap Place to Work Out?



Who doesn't want to save money while trying to get in shape? If you are fairly confident in your ability to inspire yourself to work out, this won't be a difficult task for you. All you need are some fitness DVDs, some simple exercise equipment like dumbbells and resistance bands, maybe an Instagram account so you can follow @eightsnweights and do some of our exercise challenges (shameless plug...lol), or some cardio equipment like a treadmill or elliptical machine. You can get all these at Amazon or any department store.

If you need something visual and ever-changing, the great thing about the 21st century is that you can find lots of videos online to help push you in the right direction. I just pointed a friend to a half hour Pilates video yesterday on Youtube and it made me go on a searching rampage for all the other videos out there. It's pretty incredible.

But if you are more of a hands-on person, and videos don't always inspire you, all hope is not lost for you either. Depending on what city you are, Google or Craigslist can help you find free or cheap classes in your area for whatever kind of workout you so desire. Sometimes, new trainers or new gyms will offer free classes to get people to spread the word about them.

Now, if you are a student, you are in luck. Most universities offer cheap or free gyms and fitness classes. Some have demos where students in sports-related programs teach for free as they try to gather enough credits to graduate. And most schools have some sort of athletic facility, like a running track, or a stadium where you can create your own individual program (running the stairs, running track, etc.)

Do you happen to have a YMCA or YWCA in your town? Well, the YMCA and YWCA are great places to consider as well because they sometimes have athletic facilities. When they do, these facilities tend to be cheaper than regular gyms.

Because I live in NYC, I can give some advice to those that live in the city. If you are looking for free (yes I said free) classes, and are willing to consider anything from dance to aerobics to yoga, it may be worth your while to check out Shape Up NYC. Shape Up NYC is a free program organized by the City of New York Parks & Recreation offering professionally-taught classes to everyone. These classes take place all across the 5 boroughs of NYC, mostly in parks. You can check out the full schedule here. And people ask me why I love my mayor. Thank me later :)

One last great option you can try for cheap workouts if you live in a cosmopolitan area are discount sites like Groupon, Living Social, Google Offers, Amazon Local, etc. There are usually great deals for multiple classes and gym memberships. I have gotten all sorts of dance classes, kickboxing classes, and even bootcamps on these sites so try them out.

Are there any other ways you save money while you stay fit?

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Photo credit: www.steelfeatherlaceelephant.com

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