Ballers on Budgets: Exercise Alternatives to Gym-Hopping

Julia Newman, a 24 year old law student in New York, made headlines with her blog  Buns of Steal  which documents her quest to acquire free gym workouts for an entire year. Her plan is to "hop" around the five boroughs, taking advantage of every free trial and coupon she can find. When asked how she felt about this concept of exercise on a budget, Lesley Voth, author of Simply Fantastic: Living Better On Less, agreed with Julia on the fact that visiting gyms in your area on a trial basis gives you the advantage when negotiating a good deal. "On the other hand," she says, "I see no sense in traipsing around the city, or countryside, looking for a free deal at a gym."

The contributing writers on Julia's blog may disagree with Lesley; however, the price in gas, public transportation and time spent traveling are far more costly than any savings from gym hopping. If her PR stunts provide a book deal, Julia Newman may be laughing us all the way to the bank, but for now, there are many alternative ways to keep your fitness routine cheap.

Nature

It sounds boring to some, but walking and jogging is an excellent non-costly way to stay fit. To add variety to your walk or run, "use a backpack like soldiers do in military training," suggests Lesley. "I put different kinds of weighted objects in the bag." Mountain climbing and water walking are also great ways to use nature to stay fit. "Hanging from a tree branch stretches your spine and muscles and if you're able to hang upside down for a few seconds it is quite good for you," she adds.

Household Items

Cans from your pantry can be used for bicep curls. They don't have to be heavy. Strive for maximum repetitions and feel the burn in order to tone your arms. Lesley advises that "using a can instead of a dumbbell exercises your gripping muscles more," due to the greater circumference. You can also add homemade weights to your walk or run routine by filling milk or orange juice jugs. "As a rule of thumb each liter of water weighs about 1kg or 2.2 lbs. and each gallon of water weighs approximately 8.34 lbs, plus the weight of the plastic." Alternately, PVC pipes can be used to make dumbbells by adding sand and blocking the ends.

Purchase Cheap or Used Equipment

Often people will give their exercise equipment to the Salvation Army or Goodwill when they move or upgrade equipment. As well, you can sometimes get cheap equipment from a local gym when they upgrade machines or benches. Call around and tell the managers what you are looking for. Shop and compare online through Amazon, Cragslist, and eBay. Search the bargain section of places that don't specialize in exercise equipment, such as Borders Books. There you can find yoga and resistance band kits complete with video and booklets for a fraction of the price you would normally pay, especially when combined with a coupon.

Free Workout Plans and Nutrition Guides

Websites such as AskTheTrainer.com and Prevention.com have free videos and nutrition guides which can be used to develop your own weekly workout plan. Aim to mix up your exercises and confuse your muscles so that the body doesn't get bored. Ask your neighbor or friend if you can borrow a video plan they have been using and write down the weekly routine. After a couple months you should have it down and be able to give it back.

The quest for a fit body doesn't have to be time consuming or costly, it only has to be consistent.

Ballers On Budgets was founded in 2009 as a project dedicated to educating people on how to live within their financial means while increasing their social status within their community with the aim to provide resources, information, and alternatives to spending a lot of money while engaging in a socially active lifestyle.