What's the cheapest way to work out?

[chusteczka]

Originally posted by: lyssword
just do pushups, situps, pullups and run/walk, do squats without weight.

:thumbsup:
The best exercises are the basic exercises. No one should be lifting weights if they cannot do 2x20 pushups, 80 situps, 8 pullups, 2x20 squats or 2x20 lunges. I prefer lunges over squats since lunges feel easier on my knees.

Add walking/running to this group of activities and you will have a solid exercise plan. There is no need to purchase weights or join a health club.

Start the exercises at home with 10 pushups a day, 20 situps, and 20 lunges. Do these basic exercises whenever you find the opportunity. For instance, I regularly do pushups in the afternoon at work in an empty conference with the door closed. After a few weeks, you will find yourself with more energy to complete the 10 pushups and you will naturally increase to 14 pushups.

With running, select a distance or a place you want to run to. Then run that distance very slowly but without stopping. Repeat this activity every two or three days. After a few weeks, your body will have more energy and you will run that same distance slightly faster than before.

This is the basic premise to exercising and will provide a very nicely shaped appearance for anybody. There is no trick to it and anybody can do it.

Good luck, let us know how you are doing each week or in a month.

 

[spaceman]

i knew this guy who worked out in the woods.
his name was dennis.
he walked everywhere and he lived way the hell up on the mountain.
he told me he used to just scramble up hills, lift rocks and logs up, chin ups on trees.
he used to seriously walk up a mountain here(~2000ft) to get back home.
he was built like a brick sh!thouse.not an ounce of fat on him.

 

[jonessoda]

Originally posted by: Tick

Originally posted by: BigJ
If you're a college student, during the year you should have access to the campus facilities for free.

In the meantime, check craigslist for a deal on a bench + weights.

I should mention I refuse to do any sort of physical activity where anyone can see me.

What should be looking ofr specifically on craigslist?

Speaking as somebody who is... "less than able when it comes to physical activity," it doesn't matter.

Everybody else is going to be too concentrated on what they're doing. If they notice you at all, it'll be, "oh, good, he's doing something about it," not "oh, man, look at that weakling."

I have to admit I had the same problem at first. I was well over 300, couldn't run a half a mile straight through, and couldn't swim more than one lap at a time. But I got over it, let the world see me in a swimsuit and see me jogging then walking then jogging then walking, and in about three months lost almost 50 lbs.

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: Tick

Originally posted by: BigJ
If you're a college student, during the year you should have access to the campus facilities for free.

In the meantime, check craigslist for a deal on a bench + weights.

I should mention I refuse to do any sort of physical activity where anyone can see me.

What should be looking ofr specifically on craigslist?

Being poor myself, I have a much easier time of getting over my shyness compared to paying blood money for home exercise equipment.

 

[Looney]

Originally posted by: Tick

Originally posted by: BigJ
If you're a college student, during the year you should have access to the campus facilities for free.

In the meantime, check craigslist for a deal on a bench + weights.

I should mention I refuse to do any sort of physical activity where anyone can see me.

As somebody who has gone to the gym for 10+ years, i can tell you, NOBODY cares what you look like... just keep to yourself. More gym goers are annoy at the 'pretty boys' that dress up and put on heavy Axe before they hit the gym than the fat guy trying to get in shape.

And fear/embarrassment is one hell of a motivation as well.

 

[neomits]

Originally posted by: iamaelephant
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mahler57.htm

This sounds like an excellent suggestion.

You may not be agile or coordinated enough yet but after a week or two of trying just a few reps, your body will adjust and be able to perform.

 

[Looney]

Originally posted by: neomits

Originally posted by: iamaelephant
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mahler57.htm

This sounds like an excellent suggestion.

You may not be agile or coordinated enough yet but after a week or two of trying just a few reps, your body will adjust and be able to perform.

You may as well do the '300 workout' training... which is pretty much just crossfit training.

http://www.gymjones.com/knowledge.php?id=35

 

[imported_nerve]

Check out this site: Ross Training

He has a book called Never Gymless. Its a book about working out at home and using things around the house or things that can be bought cheaply.

I have the book and it is great. Check out the forums too, alot of people workout at home.
They can give you ideas and are very helpful.

 

[Demo24]

Well, I'll be one of the few that knows the feeling. I doubt my fear is as big as yours, I could go work out but it makes me uncomfortable. Just kind of prefer to do things on my own.

I recommend working out in the woods. Try to find a tree with low branches and do some pull-ups, do push ups, sit ups, dips, etc.

Might want to think about biking as well, if you have one.

 

[keird]

Don't thank me, your tax dollars already payed for it. Link. The military has developed extremely inexpensive methods to train, already.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Gym membership is $10 for the summer for me because students voted to charge everyone like a mandatory $35 in tutition so instead of paying $65/semester, it's now just $10 for the semester.

I run Tues Thur and I lift MWF (plus some running).

Then I make sure I do my 8 minute abs exercise everyday too!

 

[thegimp03]

Running + pushups + situps gives you a decent workout and I heard it's cheap.

 

[Ushio]

How about just a set of exercise bands? cheap and well enough to do most of the exercises offered in a gym

 

[TipsyMcStagger]

You want the cheapest? suck it up and go to the college gym.

 

[purbeast0]

dunno what school you went to, but we had a rec center that had a gym in it at UMD that was free for all students to go to.

it's also the best gym I've ever stepped foot into.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Part time job anywhere where you load/unload trucks.

Not only will it be a good workout, but it won't cost you any money!!!!

 

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: Tick
I desire to work out, but don't have a ton of money to spend. What's the cheapest way to work out? I'm already hiking in the hills behind my house for cardio, what do I do for 'weight training'?

4 major muscle groups: chest, back, abs, legs

pushups
situps
squat thrusts (add a push up in the routine so u kill 2 birds w/1 stone)
if you have a chin up bar ($19.99 at sporting goods store), then you got the back.

 

[txrandom]

First you need to work out your brain and then your muscles.

 

[f4phantom2500]

it depends on what you're going for. there's a navy seal workout on the internet that uses no equipment (push ups, sit ups, dips, pull ups, running, swimming). you can get really strong doing calisthenics. for higher weight resistance you can do more exotic forms like handstand pushups, incline push ups, incline situps, single leg squats, etc. that seal thing will give you amazing endurance if you complete it, and if you can already do it without problems, and thus have nothing to gain from it, then you don't need to work out lol.

http://www.trulyhuge.com/Navy_Seal_Workout.htm

i got to week 4 of the second phase. this will get you in awesome shape (well if you're hell bent on getting big and bulky then you might not think so, but is that really practical?) if you complete it; you'll most likely be stronger than a lot of people who are bigger than you (at least that's what i noticed when i was doing it).

EDIT: oh yeah, you don't *have* to do the swimming of course, i didn't when i got to the 4th week of phase 2 because it took soooo much time, so you could do all of this with as much privacy as you want. for pull ups you can use the back of a staircase (like those at apartment buildings).

 

[SludgeFactory]

When I was spending late nights at school, sometimes I'd take a break and go run several flights of stairs in the building, do dips in the stairwell on the handrails, then go in the office and bang out a bunch of pushups and situps. Nobody ever saw me. :moon:

For your home, I'd start with some dumbbells combined with bodyweight exercises. Progress to a bench and Olympic set from there. Run stairs or do sprints at a local high school stadium/track late at night or early in the morning when no one is there.

Although I will say that most university gyms are worth checking out, some are pretty nice. If you're a student, you're already paying for it with your fees anyway. Would you be able to go if a friend came along?

 

[mpitts]

Originally posted by: Tick
Why are we still discussing this. I do not engage in physical activity in sight of other people. End of story.

People are discussing it because it is ridiculous.

 

[ballmode]

jog and free weights

 

[Skacer]

Originally posted by: b0mbrman
Being poor myself, I have a much easier time of getting over my shyness compared to paying blood money for home exercise equipment.

I wouldn't call what I paid for a treadmill + dumbbells + a bench "blood money" . Sure, treadmills cost a bit, but they last for freaking ever. You buy a decent one and theres very little that is going to cause it to die. 10 years down the road and the price seems a little trivial.

 

[tfinch2]

Stop being such an emo and go to your uni's gym OP.

 

[sdifox]

Go work construction. That would build you up in no time.