Like it or not, money makes the world go round. You can have all the love in the world, but it can’t pay your bills or put food on the table. There’s a price tag for almost everything these days, and that includes health and fitness. But why?
One Born Every Minute
One of the more perplexing things is people spending an inordinate amount of money to be fit. While it’s understandable that some people would need help, didn’t everyone else get the basics of calisthenics and running during P.E. class? It’s hard to imagine that a majority of all adults have forgotten how to do a simple pushup or how to run properly.
Expensive home gyms, supplements, useless ab-machines, workout DVD’s, gym memberships – these are just some of the things that can burn a hole in your pocket if you keep on searching for a quick and easy way to lose weight and be fit. The truth is, there are no quick and easy fixes to fitness.
Fool’s Grail
The Holy Grail of fitness doesn’t exist, despite what the TV commercials and print ads tell you. Before and after pictures can easily be altered, and every single person on the commercial already has a chiseled physique. Preying on insecurities and a desire for a quick fix, marketers use models to indirectly plant an idea that you’re going to look like them if you buy their product or use their system. Whatever.
Truth is, you shouldn’t spend anything to be healthy and fit. You have everything you need right now – your body. The human body is a marvel of engineering and you just need to use it and feed it the right fuel to see results. And, it takes time. Rome wasn’t built in a day, a week or even a month. Your body is the same way.
All You Need
The beauty of calisthenics (bodyweight exercises) is that you can do a variety of different exercises using your own bodyweight, leverage and gravity almost anywhere you want. At home, in the park or on the beach, all you need is the floor and your body to get a good workout. For cardio, you don’t need any fancy cardio machines. Your legs will take you wherever you want to go, and it’s free.
To get an extra kick out of your workouts, do bodyweight circuits. This involves doing one exercise after another with no rest in-between. This will keep your heart rate up while engaging your muscles, which is awesome if you want to lose a few pounds. High intensity interval training (HIIT) is also great and you can do it anywhere.
You can also do yoga or pilates in the comfort of your own home. All you need is a yoga mat, a towel and you’re good to go. Everything is on the internet if you need to check out an exercise or a routine. You can wear whatever you have at home, just as long as it’s comfortable and won’t chafe your skin. Ladies, go to stores that have a great selection of shapewear for women that can also be used for workouts. Flexible clothes are an investment.
Old School Home Gym
If you really want to build a home gym for weightlifting, you can do it on the cheap. Just don’t buy anything shiny and brand new. Your muscles won’t know and don’t care if you use old and dusty weights. Just as long as there’s more than enough resistance, your muscles will be happy and they’ll grow.
You can get old plates, bars and benches on Craigslist or garage sales for pennies on the dollar. You can DIY your own suspension training system (like TRX) and make a pull up bar using materials you can get at your local hardware store. Go to a local junkyard and get the heaviest tire you can fit in your truck. Use sandbags, shipyard rope and a sledge hammer.
There’s a lot you can do to make your home gym badass, and you don’t need to spend a small fortune. Most of the materials you need might just be in your backyard. If you really want to go old school, lifting heavy rocks and moving them from point A to point B is a kickass workout that hits your entire body. No rocks? Sandbags or any heavy object will do.
Get Moving
You don’t need to pay anything to be fit. Your body is already an efficient home gym and your feet are the best cardio equipment ever invented. Fitness is all about options, and what better one to have than being able to do it for free, without any subscriptions, monthly charges or membership fees.
How much do you pay to be fit?
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