29 Ways to Stay Active Without Going to the Gym
Well, it appears Covid is here to stay, and when I posted on instagram earlier in the week asking for suggestions on ways to stay active outside of the gym because COOTIES, you all really came through! I got so much good input I thought I would share it, so here you go: 29 ways to get that beautiful body moving when the YMCA isn’t quite the good time place it once was!
And the best part? Many of these options are FREE as long as you have a WiFi connection, and there are even some hacks in here to help you save a few bucks!
Outdoor activities
Rollerblading! Best place to do it? Cornelia Fort Airpark! A hidden gem in East Nashville, this former airport was acquired by Shelby Park in 2011. “The runway is perfectly flat and wide for rollerblading.”
Shoot some hoops!
Hiking/walking/running trails and greenways. Bored of your neighborhood? Check out some of Nashville’s expansive greenways and trails. Local favorites are Radnor Lake and Percy Warner (I went this week, and almost everyone was wearing a face mask or covering, at least when passing other people!). If you’re feeling extra adventurous, you can chase waterfalls at these hot spots!
Ride your bike!
Resistance bands & kettlebells/weights ($$$ saving hack: search Facebook Marketplace to track down a cheap set or ask your neighborhood group if they have any you can borrow or purchase from them!)
Early morning/evening walks (one reader recs Pokémon GO as a good motivator for getting out of the house!)
Peloton
Peloton gets its own designated section because this was by far the most popular response. I received messages like, “best purchase I’ve ever made.” And that’s a preeeetty bold statement! I also received several messages from people who have the app but not the bike. The bike is being offered with 24 interest-free payments (one reader rationalized the purchase because it’s cheaper than her and her husband’s yoga memberships), but if money is tight and you still want in on the fun, you have a few options:
Use the app without the bike. Out of the many pro-Peloton responses I received, only half had the actual bike. One reader says, "The instructors on Peloton are the best and most motivating I’ve ever experienced.” Again, a pretty bold statement! So I can understand the popularity! In addition to cycling workouts, the app features strength, bootcamp, yoga, meditation, and several other types of workouts.
Use the app and this $$$ saving hack: configure a more affordable bike setup This was what my friend Heather did, and it’s honestly kind of brilliant. Her bike is currently out of stock but you can check out similar options at that link. She says as long as the bike has magnetic resistance and gets good reviews you’re good to go.
My biggest question: if you have the Peloton app (but not the bike), can you still add your friends on there and use it the same way people use it that actually have the Peloton bike?She said, “You can still add friends. Most of the people I follow have the actual bike. The only things I’ve found that are different with not having the bike are that depending on what kind of bike you have you aren’t going to get an output number (but I’ve only had this referenced once by the instructor during the ride in the 2 months of almost daily rides I’ve done), I had to also purchase a cadence meter separately for my bike (I got the Wahoo cadence meter) to find out how fast I was going and I had to determine how many turns on my bike matches the resistance numbers they’re calling out during the ride. You don’t get the leaderboard that shows you everyone’s rankings during the ride, but you have to determine if that’s a motivator for you or not. I don’t miss it at all! As an app user other riders can’t “see” you in the ride (for high fives and such) unless you high five them first. Those are the big things that are different.”
Also, apparently the app on its own is $12.99, but if you use the app with the bike it’s $39/month. Not gonna lie — this has me seriously considering hacking my way to a Peloton!
Instagram/youtubers/etc
@koreyaustin: If you’ve been here a while, you know Korey! A Barry’s trainer, he regularly posts workouts for free on his IG page!
@dopeyogi: Yoga, Mindfulness, Inspiration
@jessicaolie: Yoga workouts to get you strong and flexible!
@kadeefit: Pilates, Yoga, Barre, Cardio Dance — a friend’s teenage daughter swears by it!
@godandgains_: “daily Bible verses and at home workouts 6 days a week!”
Madfit: The landing page of her YouTube has like a million abs, so she looks like she knows what she’s doing!
HIIT YouTube videos from Body Project
TruFusion South Austin: “My gym has switched to online classes — it’s free!”
PopSugar Fitness: A pretty expansive website with fun celebrity-inspired workout content!
A friend’s aunt posts workouts in a few different Facebook groups. Click here, here, and here to check them out!
Apps/Programs/Digital subscriptions
The down dog app: Highly customizable Yoga and Pilates with HIIT extensions
30 Day Fitness at Home: “I used to workout like a crazy person, but it was always cardio to burn a certain number of calories. I know I’m still burning calories with this, but it feels more empowering and my body actually got strong. I saw muscles I never knew I had (even though I can’t see them any more 😂)”
The Beyond Flexibility program
Kaisa workouts: “I like it because it’s all about full joint movement and support.”
Beachbody: “Even with a gym membership, nothing works me out a hard as videos at home.”
Pure Barre Go: 7 day free trial and $29.99 for your first month! “I’ve been using it all of quarantine. It’s awesome!”
Jazzercise Live: The website says “Bring the party home” and if that doesn’t sound like a good time, I don’t know what does!
FitBit Premium: the first 3 months are free with a new FitBit purchase!
The Class: According to their website, “This Class will challenge and enlighten you all while building an incredibly strong, lean, resilient body. You will learn tools to empower your life.” Bonus! They have a 14-day free trial!
A few other things
If you need something to workout to, I’ve been pumping my newest summer playlist HARD. You can find that here.
If you’re having a difficult time getting motivated, you might find this post helpful.
Also, to those of you that offered to let me walk your dogs or babysit your toddlers for exercise, I appreciate you and will reach out if I decide to take you up on your offer 😂
