Dear AT,
I live in a studio apartment with the bare necessities and get by on a tight budget. I've recently decided to try to get into better shape after losing some weight after putting myself on a dine-in/cook at home only restriction (it's amazing what a difference eating at home makes). But my problem is I can't afford a gym membership, nor do I have the room or money for lots of exercise equipment in my apartment. Do you have any exercise tips for someone who lives in a small space? Sincerely, Small Space with High Hopes.
Dear High Hopes,
First off, congrats on the lifestyle change. Small is cool, including our own waistlines, and we certainly believe a happy home starts with our own bodies. Working out on a budget at home is a lot easier than people assume. We personally supplement our own gym workouts with budget solutions like walking/running, calisthenics and gardening...there are many ways to burn calories around the house. None of these cost a cent except for the cost of some good athletic shoes (splurge on these). But what about working out at home on a dime? Here's some ideas from our own personal workouts:
Here's what we call the soup can diet and workout. Partner up an extremely affordable chin-up bar with a backpack full of soup or vegetable cans and you've got one of the best exercises out there. Can pull yourself up? No worries. Start without the backpack, place a stool/chair underneath and start your workout doing negative reps (meaning you let yourself down slowly instead of pull yourself up). You'll be on your way to a stronger back, shoulders and arms. Best of all, once you're done, you can always have a can of soup (or baked beans, in our case) after for a healthy lunch.
When traveling, including our last time visiting the AT offices in NYC, we didn't have the time or access to a gym. So we resorted to filling up the backpack shown before, and would do bicep curls with it. You can also use a myriad of household items, like these kitty litter bins, that work great for arm raises and curls. Fill them up with water, feel the burn...but don't drink out of them until you clean them properly. Milk jugs are also a fine container to reuse for similar effect; here's a whole regimen of exercises using containers.
Tables and chairs are workout machines waiting to be taken advantage of. Use them for pushups, triceps dips, stepping up exercises, and for support while you use your homemade weights above.
Our better half is going to scold us for this last one, since she's a librarian, but if you've got an old, large book that you don't ever refer or read anymore, it can be reused for calve raises. Be sure to use one high enough for your heels to not touch the ground, and preferably not with a slippery-slick front cover (keep your fingers barely touching a wall or door).
Partner all these exercises with light to intense cardio everyday and you're sure to stay in shape without having to set foot inside a gym (though don't expect miracles). And don't forget, cleaning around the house, gardening, rearranging your furniture, helping a friend move...these are all workouts waiting to happen for free. Don't consider them chores...they're just part of your workout!
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most of the working out I prefer to do involves manipulating my own body weight (push-ups, sit-ups, dips, lunges, etc...), none of which require any real equipment (you can add weight in all the creative ways suggested above...but another option is always to go more slowly through these motions, or hold in the most strenuous position). I find this approach to be more organic and healthier for your joints (and maybe muscles) than the unnatural process of lifting black disks of metal attached to poles.
and, of course, integrate biking and walking into your daily routine, and you'll be surprised how much healthier you feel (and look, if that's a motivation).
Elastic bands are also a great option for resistence training -- they store well and aren't expensive.
WII Fit!
i've worked as a trainer in tiny nyc apartments for two years, and i usually buy new clients a set of adjustable dumbbells from modell's or sports authority. they're a pain to take home, but once there, they can be stored neatly in their plastic box.
here's an example:
http://www.sportsauthority.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2173649&cp=3077568.3077639.2623795&parentPage=family
bodyweight training. If you google, you can find a lot of resources and eqiupment for this type of training, including specialized over-the-door full gyms, etc.
Also, bicycling has been a great weight loss tool for me. For those with a limited space, perhaps a dahon folding bike might work for you.
yoga is a great at-home practice. and dancing around the house! also, creating a close relationship between home and exercise may mean more exercise overall, e.g. i sometimes sit back in chair pose while brushing my teeth.
Forced walking/biking. I will not leave the house specifically to work out, but if I force it in by getting off the bus a mile early...well then I have to do it. I walk three miles a day that way.
There are lots of good DVDs out there (you can either buy them or check them out from the library). I've got a small weight rack with 4 sets of hand weights (3, 5, 8, 10 lbs), a yoga/pilates mat, and 3 bands of differing levels of resistance. All of this fits into a space that's about 2.5 feet wide, 1 foot deep, and 3 feet tall. I used to keep it in my bedroom closet, but I find I'm much more motivated when I can see the rack every day.
You also might want to consider some recreational sports leagues (softball, kickball, volleyball). They are often much cheaper than gym memberhips and have all different skill levels.
this site is amazing for this issue:
http://skievat.blogspot.com/
there's also a handy compilation here:
http://board.crossfit.com/showthread.php?t=21576
Needak Soft Bounce to keep my lymph system running.. 3 minutes an hour during the day.
My husband will sometimes sweep me up into his arms - and then do squats. It ruins the romance but at least he's keeping fit!
I think this is an awesome post and I love the illustrative photos with Gregory as the home fitness model.
I got a set of cool looking vintage dumbells on ebay for cheap (like $15?). Like these, except nicer looking and 5lbs each:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Metal-York-Dumbbells-pair-2-x-15-lb-weights_W0QQitemZ160260088265QQihZ006QQcategoryZ44083QQtcZphotoQQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Walk up the stairs.
Make sure that you spend time learning how to do the exercises properly or you'll be prone to injuries. And find out whether a particular type of exercise is good for your body type. For example, people with "loose ligaments" shouldn't do yoga stretches or lift lots of weight.
If you make your own weights (my dad used soda bottles), be sure to weigh them so you know what you're lifting.
Run outside - totally free!
Also, decide to walk or bike everywhere within 3-5 miles, and leave the car at home.
The house you live in should not be a bar to your physical activity. Most of that exercise equipment sits and gathers dust, anyway.
If you want to exercise, you will find ways, and if you don't want to exercise, you'll use that time to make up excuses about why you cant. Don't be in the second group!
I Netflixed a yoga DVD, burned it onto my computer, and work out to it every day in my living room. Works wonders and is much cheaper than going to the gym!
I like Fitness with Steve videos on Youtube - he has 53 of them, most of which could be done in a small apartment with body weight, tubes and dumbbells - http://www.youtube.com/user/stevedst
Workout DVDs Netflix = Instant Gym
Also, running outside (depending on your neighborhood) is pretty awesome.
If you can't run outside (and have high enough ceilings) apparently jumping rope is a pretty good cardio workout. I have yet to try it, but my roommate jumps rope if she can't get to the gym.
Any ideas for aerobic exercise, for those of us who can't go running outside due to heat / allergies / safety?
(For the guys,) online sites like Men's Fitness have some routines you can do at home or in a hotel room with just your body weight as resistance.
The best advice I've gotten from trainers is to always switch it up every 4-6 weeks. Go a little longer on your runs, try something different (like yoga if you're doing resistance work, or vice versa) or do a few more reps.
Also, hit up your friends for free passes to gyms. Sometimes those few days in the gym are just what you need. My local Y had a downloadable one-week pass, and between that and my friend signing me in as a guest once a week, I completed a kick-a** bootcamp class over the summer.
Oh, I almost forgot. 24Hour fitness has a free 7-day pass. Read the restrictions though, cause I think you have to use the 7 days consecutively and you can only go between 8a and 9p and blah blah blah. But yeah, it's not bad for being free. :)
Bowflex SelectTech dumbbells: http://www.bowflexselecttech.com
Expensive, but they are of quality build and a great space saver.
Also, I use a medicine ball as an office chair. That doubles as my weight bench.
If you can move the furniture easily to make space, try a jumping rope for cardio, if you have cable tv, try FitTv. Or get some nice workout dvd's, even better if you have friends to swap them occasionally (so you don't get bored). This truly works, I've been doing that for quite some time, I have a small apartment and all I have to do is move a coffee table to do them. Also try exercisetv.tv, they have some free workouts. Some workouts may require equipment (dumbells, yoga mat, band, etc.), but I wouldn't buy them right away, just try to find a workout you really like, then see if you need to spend some cash in basic equipment. And congratulations on your weight loss!
I'm a trainer and I always take resistance bands on vacation with me. There are plenty of different exercises you can do with these, and they are cheap and very portable. Just search the net for routines and make sure you're doing everything correctly. You may want to hire a trainer just for a one on one session every couple of months, it will be well worth the investment. Combine bands with body weight exercises, cardio exercise, and just regular lifestyle changes that force you to get more exercise everyday, such as taking the stairs and meeting friends for a walk versus dinner, and you'll be golden.
I love the exercises found in Women's Health magazine. They also post them on their web-site. http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/workouts
Their fit-plan from 2007 is great, but they have a lot of different workouts. As far as aerobics go, you can do jumping jacks if nothing else. Very little space needed. Good luck.
Power Yoga can definitely qualify as "aerobic."
I highly recommend http://www.yogatoday.com. They post free, 1 hour yoga classes every day: stream away!. They also do different kinds of yoga (ashtanga, hatha, kundalini, kripalu, etc) so you can explore new styles that you may not be able to find in your area.
One word of caution: their "all-levels" classes can be pretty challenging if you're new to yoga and "ambitious." There's nothing wrong with doing child's pose instead of another downward facing dog!
I recommend SimpleFit.
A chin-up bar and a stopwatch are all you need.
I started with SF, because it is simple and can be done at home. I needed to get back into shape and SF let me do it without paying for a gym, or figuring out some new activity to take on.
Interested?
Read the introduction on the site "How To Get Started"
Day 1: do as many sets as possible in 20 minutes.
Day 2: you should focus on perfect form, doing 5 sets, and take a 3 minute break between sets, but do not include the breaks in your time.
Day 3: is called 'judgment' and the goal is to complete the prescribed exercises as quickly as possible. If your time is less than 5 minutes, you move up to the next level.
It isn't a life-long program, because I think it would get boring eventually, but it is a great program for those who just need to get off the couch! Once you're in better shape, you can step up or over to another activity. Also, the fact that every Day 3 is a test of sorts is very motivating. After 17 weeks I am still very into it.
The site includes a forum for advice and support as well as a logging tool.
My progress.
Go to Griffith Park! hike up to the Observatory from Fern Dell, then hike up past the observatory to Dante's (charmingly charred) garden. The "HEart BEat House" in Atwater has fabulous $5 pay as you go yoga classes. Or Walk in a hilly neighborhood.
I figured that the photos must have been of Gregory. Find it charming that he's camera shy. Reminds me of that "Wilson" character on the "Home Improvement" TV show who famously never shows his face. : )
When I visit my parents, who do not have free weights at their house, I just grab a gallon-jug of apple juice or liter-size bottled water from the pantry and use them as weights.
The Internet! I use www.fitbyfun.com ,
an online animated aerobics studio. tons of structured classes that you can tailor to you, great music - and the animations are cute!
just add sneakers and you have yourself an aerobics class whenever you turn on your computer.
have fun, and to all a good year.
If you don't have much space and want to do strength training or toning, a good set of adjustable dumbbells go a long way. You can do a complete workout with dumbbells alone and it's cheaper to get an adjustable set than buying all the individual ones - and they take up virtually no space. Bowflex Dumbbells and PowerBlock Dumbbells are the most popular. I prefer the PowerBlocks because they're more compact, especially for toning.
I too live in a small apartment and struggle to find space. One thing that has really helped is just purchasing some basic sport equipment and going out and playing basketball a few times a week. Sure, going to the gym is probably better...but if the pushups and body-weight workouts in your small apartment start to get old, it'll make your workout fun again.