Yes, I have tried the gym thing and I have to say, my pants would totally be ablaze if I said it was a fun, wholesome experience. It is not the most pleasant experience to be stuck next to a grunting endorphin fiend with a chest rivaling, if not surpassing any of my female friends in size, while doing a work-out you would much rather give a miss anyway. The pulsating techno music is about as desirable as a telemarketer at tea time and most trainers are more interested in investigating their biceps in the mirror rather than being of any service.
Sick of the fore-mentioned, I decided there had to be a better way to stay in shape. I started to compile a list of excises that I could incorporate into my day-to-day activities, as well as some other ones which would be much more enjoyable than trekking down to the local muscle mart. The first at the top of my list was an obvious one; I decided to give away the tram ticket and walk the six city blocks to work every day, which had the added benefit of a $50 saving a month on tickets. So if you live with-in walking distance I highly recommend it, as since doing this I have noticed it's much easier to stay in shape.
Secondly, it is commonly recognized that mixing up your workout is a more effective way to train, because in short, the more you train certain muscles, the more resistant they become to the same exercises, consequently reducing the effectiveness of exercise in question after a period of time. So I decided to dust of the runners and the bike and as well as integrating these into my new agenda, I bought a sleek skipping rope for five dollars which I use in the park (Well yes, at first thought skipping might seem childish or emasculating (guys), but boxer's and sprinter's skip regularly and if you take a look at their physical condition need I say more?).
The remaining fraction of my schedule is devoted to muscle training. All I have at home is a set of dumbbells, and after considering my options this was all I really needed. So I wrote a list of dumbbell exercises which worked a variety of muscles. Such as dumbbell curls, dumbbell pull-ups (resting one knee and a hand on a raised object for support, the other leg firmly on the ground and with a straight back, pulling the dumbbell towards your chest. Like starting a lawn mower...). Also shoulder presses are a good one. The rest of my workout consists of push-ups, which are great because of the huge range of muscles they include (shoulder muscles, arms and in particular the triceps, abs, chest), as well as the humble sit-up. Also if you are like me and prefer not to swagger around with a strapping torso but jellified legs, I would recommend perhaps some basic one or both leg squats and also standing with your toes on a step or raised surface and doing some calf raises; on top of any endurance leg work you do running or on the bike. There are also plenty of other sites and books devoted to physical training without weights; martial arts sites are some good ones to take a look at if you want to add to your initial exercise array.
Since I promptly discarded my expired gym membership and switched to my new routine I have made a huge saving on gym membership and travel expenses and in-fact feel healthier when I'm out in the fresh air and more animated and alive after an outdoor workout, rather than being stuck in a domineering gym environment. Another thing I suggest to keep you interested is investing in an ipod or mp3 player to entertain you and to use music as a way to help you push yourself further when training.
