Tag Archives: home workout

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.

The best ways to stay mentally and physically prepared for your profession.

Living in the unprecedented times that we currently do, the pandemic has forced many people to put their careers and professions on hold, in particular the Musical Theatre industry; a high intensity, hard working and extremely physical job.

For me and many other fellow performers it has been a matter of making sure our mental well-being and physical health has been looked after in preparation for theatres to return again so we can go back to pursuing our career just like many others will have had to do in other professions, such as personal training or other sporting careers.

Key motivators for your profession that can be specific to YOU…

As hard as staying motivated is during these times where motivation has to be driven by yourself and nobody else, there are many ways to keep positive and stay motivated for when your profession returns such as:

  • Setting realistic physical achievements that will enhance and improve your performance when you return to work such as walking 5000 steps per day or joining in a live workout three times a week to build up stamina again.
  • Make the physical exercise you are doing specific to YOU and your profession. As an example on a long walk I would listen to music from the musical I am going to be working in next to motivate me and help me enjoy the physical exercise more. Make. It. Suit. You.
  • Make a story board or a mood board with pictures of all of the things you would like to achieve or things that inspire you that you can set as your Lock Screen on your phone to remind you daily of where you would eventually like to be in your career.

Here is an example of mine…


An interview with Musical Theatre professionals…

Here is a clip of fellow Musical Theatre performers Alex Steele, Maddison Rowe and Esme Bacalla-Hayes answering some of my questions on how they are staying mentally and physically healthy in preparation for when the industry reopens again. Including advice and insightful information as to how and what YOU could do to improve mental well being, motivation and physical performance in preparation for YOUR profession…

An overview of general tips the girls suggested that help with mental health that everyone can benefit from…

  • Make a to do list for the day ahead and check things off as and when you do things, great for peace of mind and to relieve stress.
  • Make your bed and tidy your room, as silly as it sounds it really does make you feel a whole lot better.
  • Try to keep yourself in a routine throughout the day, it keeps the mind occupied and focused.
  • Most importantly, KEEP GOING, YOU’VE GOT THIS. A positive mental attitude is key.

Physical exercise and its effects on your mental well-being…

It becomes very apparent after talking with three professionals that are awaiting their career to restart that physical exercise can have a huge impact on not just your physical health but your mental well-being and motivation too which are both huge factors to keep in mind during the current circumstances where mental well-being and motivation can be affected the most.

Things physical exercise can help with in particular are:

  • Positivity.
  • Feeling more alert and energised.
  • Relieving stress.
  • Sleeping better.
  • Increase in self confidence.

So here are some tips on how to specifically stay PHYSICALLY prepared for your profession…

At home workouts!

At home workouts are a great way to start getting physically prepared for your career again. It is something you can do at your own pace within the comfort of your own home, without feeling like you have to keep up with anyone else. It is also a FREE and easy way to keep active without needing much equipment.

Setting 3 workouts per week on specific days would be a great place to start to enable your body and mind to adapt to the changes that are being made in regards to physical exercise, when you feel ready you can build the quantity of workouts OR how long you workout for.

‘Short on time? Hate the gym?  Too tired to exercise after work? 10 minute workouts are just what you need.’ NHS.uk.

If you’re struggling to find the right ones for you here are some of the workouts I like to use for some inspiration…

  • Gabby Allen workouts.
  • Courtney Black workouts.
  • Joe Wicks workouts.

These are all FREE and available on either YouTube, Instagram or Facebook so go and have a try!

 

A simple walk can work wonders!

’Walking is simple, free and one of the easiest ways to get more active, lose weight and become healthier’ NHS.uk.

Walking is one of the most underrated forms of exercise yet it is so beneficial for both the mind and body. Taking a long walk can be just as beneficial as a short workout in regards to burning calories. A great way to track how far you have walked and how many calories you have burned is buy using the ‘Fitness’ App on either your phone or Apple Watch if you have access to one.
Here is an example of a walk I went on and just LOOK at how many calories I burned… from a walk!

REMINDER!

However with this all being said this is just a reminder to everyone that it is very much OKAY to have days where you don’t feel motivated or don’t feel like you want to workout and be your most productive self. It is OKAY to feel anxious or stressed about the future and how your profession will be affected by this pandemic. It is OKAY to rest and take a day to look after your mental health in other, more comforting ways. Do you know why? Because we are human and each day is never the same for many reasons. The most important thing is that we have the tools and knowledge to come back from these more trying and difficult days, knowing that the simple walk or workout may make you feel that little bit better…

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/

https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/?WT.tsrc=Search&WT.mc_id=Brand&gclid=Cj0KCQiA7YyCBhD_ARIsALkj54oDk_1UUTj367kj3bmTXOcjeDA-NPKg9eLB-BsFS5o6MXhyXICqKq0aAmuIEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds