Tag Archives: fitness

5 Fun Ways to Get Fit Without a Gym

Whilst a gym is a great place to work out, it’s not always the easiest or cheapest option for everyone. However, when it comes to exercising from home, it can be almost impossible to motivate yourself. At Exercise.co.uk, we believe that being creative whilst getting fit is a key factor in inspiring you to keep working out.

So we will be looking at these 5 fun ways to get fit without a gym!

Want to skip ahead? Jump to the specific part below:

  1. Skipping
  2. Hula Hooping
  3. Dancing
  4. Trampolining
  5. Try a Sport

Skipping

Skipping is a fun and straightforward exercise that comes with numerous benefits. It is a great way to get into home workouts and is easily personalised to what you need. Skipping allows you to set the pace and work at your own level, but will also become easier with practise. Eventually, once it is part of your routine, you can begin to change speeds, include tricks, and even make fun routines to your favourite workout songs. If you are looking for a tougher workout, be sure to purchase a weighted skipping rope for a more intense burn.

It is not only fun to skip rope, but it also comes with many health benefits. Skipping can burn as many as 1,600 calories in just an hour and is a great alternative to running or jogging. It is also categorised as a cardio exercise which includes a great number of advantages such as heart and lung health.

For more information on cardio exercise, check out our article The Benefits of Cardio Exercise.

Hula Hooping

Hula hooping is another fun and easy exercise that can be done from home. Not only does it help burn calories, this exercise focuses on the core muscles, resulting in less abdominal fat and a toned stomach. It’s a great way to not only stay fit, but also includes other benefits such as a healthier heart and lungs, improves balance and helps the immune system.

However, hula hooping is not just about the health benefits. With some upbeat music on, it can be easy to complete a fun workout  that incorporates creative routines and changes of pace.

In order to get the full effect on how fun hula hooping can be, it’s important to make sure you have the right music playing, so be sure to check out our article on How to Make the Best Exercise Playlist. 

Dancing

Dancing is one of the most fun ways to stay healthy. To incorporate it into your routine does not necessarily mean you need to join a dance class, unless, of course, you want to. However, with new interactive apps and websites it is now easy to get the most out of dancing!

YouTube has a variety of guided dance workouts available, therefore if there is anything specific in mind you wish to incorporate, for example, a favourite musician or album you like to workout to, there is a strong chance there is a video perfect for you. To search for some fun dance videos be sure to include key phrases such as:

  • 20 min dance workout
  • Dance workout for beginners 
  • Dance workout full body no equipment

If you are not a fan of YouTube, there are many apps that provide a visual guided workout experience. Whilst not all fitness apps include dance routines, many still incorporate fun workouts and can be very beneficial when trying to stay fit without a gym. 

If you would like to see our favourite exercise apps, make sure to check our list of Fitness Apps That Can Make Exercising at Home Easier.

Trampolining

Trampolining is a great and easy way to stay fit and with an indoor trampoline, this can be achieved at home. It can quickly get your pulse racing and is great for those just beginning their workout journey without a gym.

Working out on a trampoline focuses on your leg muscles however, different moves can be incorporated into your workout to make sure the full body receives attention. An indoor trampoline also includes the ability to start with low impact exercises so you can warm up to a high intensity workout. You can get started and see the progress for yourself with our Marcy Fitness Trampoline here.

For a more guided tutorial on how to use an indoor trampoline, check out our 5 Exercises You Can Do On a Trampoline to get the most out of your workout.  

 

Try a Sport

If you struggle to motivate yourself, finding a sport you enjoy is a great way to stay on track, especially if you are a competitive person.  Playing a sport helps you commit to a fitness routine and makes sure you get your active hours in during the week. However, sport is also beneficial because you can get fit and stay healthy whilst having an invested interest in something more than just losing weight.

If you are nervous about starting a new sport, make sure to bring a friend to play with or join a team. As long as you are staying active and having fun, it does not matter if you are particularly talented at the sport or not. 

If you are unsure on which sport might be for you, then check out our information on boxing. As an individual sport its great for building strength and staying fit so be sure to read our Boxing Techniques for Beginners and check out our boxing equipment here.

So…

If your workout routine needs some refreshment, or perhaps the gym isn’t for you, then these 5 fun ways to get fit without a gym is a great place to begin. Enjoying your workout is vital for staying motivated, so if you lack the commitment be sure to invest in these fun exercises. 

Before beginning your exercise journey, please be sure to consult your doctor and always be safe when using equipment.

How to improve your mental wellbeing through fitness and exercise

Limitations live only in our minds.  But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless. – Jamie Paolinetti

Maintaining our mental wellbeing is one of the most important aspects which helps contribute toward a healthy fulfilled life, there are an endless variety of ways you can ensure you are taking care of yourself mentally and fitness and exercise are some of the most effective methods. It is clear the benefits that exercise has on our physical body, but people often don’t realise the great positive effects that maintaining exercise also has on the mind! Exercise has in fact be proven to be so great for the mind that those who suffer from challenging mental health battles such as depression and anxiety have felt an improvement mentally, the effects of the illnesses can be eased due to the positive influence that fitness has on the mind and the raise of serotonin that it creates within the mind. The most challenging step can be motivation, but if you can motivate yourself to persist through the first steps of your fitness journey then you can change the way you live your life through the power of exercise.

Not yet aware of how exercises and fitness methods can improve and maintain your mental health? Let’s take a look at some of the best exercises to help get you on your journey to feeling the best version of yourself!

Running

 

 

 

 

Running is one of the best forms of exercise you can do due to its endless benefits, it is one of the most beneficial forms of cardio. Running is so easily accessible to all who wish to try it, however if you prefer not to run outdoors you can opt to run using a treadmill which can be just as effective! its all about your personal preference, the exercise is also open to all ages from the younger generations to the elderly who wish to take up a new hobby or continue their running habits. Running  can also be enjoyed at all different levels and paces to suit your fitness level and age range, the key to running is enjoyment and the incredible health benefits to the mind and body are a bonus.

Still not convinced that running and exercise can help improve your mental wellbeing to a great extent? Check out the video below!

If you’re not sure if running is for you then not to worry, there’s a much more laid back method of fitness you can try!

Yoga

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yoga is an extremely well known term, nevertheless many people do not actually realise how astounding yoga can be for not only improving your physical health but also your mental health. Yoga has allot of stigma surrounding it as many see it as simply a socialising opportunity, however yoga is one of the best exercises for increasing your body strength.  There are many different types of yoga poses so your choice is endless, there is something for everyone which makes yoga so enjoyable and appealing. As we are focusing on the topic of mental health, listed below are some the most prominent yoga benefits that can help improve and maintain your frame of mind and overall mental health situation.

Watch the video below to see just how effective yoga is at improving mental health and wellbeing!

If you’re still not sure whether yoga is right for you and it doesn’t seem like something you want to try, you can take a look at another effective exercise method listed below.

Resistance Training

 

 

 

 

 

Resistance training can be so gripping due to the vast variety of exercises it contains, you are simply not limited to one form of exercise for example if you don’t find lifting weights is a good choice for you then you can try kettlebells or powerbands instead to strengthen your body. Anyone of any age can also enjoy resistance training, just like running and yoga there is no age barrier that blocks you from enjoying and partaking in the exercises due to their being options for everyone’s body strengths and age preference.  Maintaining muscle strength is particularly important as we age and ensures we stay as healthy as possible physical wise, however resistance training is also brilliant at helping our mental wellbeing

In order to see a clearer picture of how effective resistance training can be for your mental wellbeing, watch the video below which shows how simple a form of resistance training can be incorporated into your life. The video also shows that not all forms of resistance training have to be more challenging to begin with for those of you who want to take a less intense approach!

 

It is important to remember that just like physical health, mental health progress also takes time and it is not one short easy road. With that being said, remind yourself that the journey to improvement and change is taking the first step. Through exercise and fitness of your physical body you can also help improve and ensure that your mental wellbeing is also taken care of,  the hope is that this blog gives you some encouragement of just how incredible exercise can be in helping transform, ease and manage your mental health so you can get the absolute best out of your life.