HERE'S an obvious fact: Gym memberships cost money. Even if you try to save cash (and sacrifice air-conditioning) by attending your local bakal gym, you can still end up spending several hundreds or a few thousands depending on how often you go. So if your budget is tight, what do you do?
One option is to utilize the great outdoors. After all, soldiers have been getting fit for centuries with little more than what's available outside. Another option is to invest in some exercise equipment you can use at home. For less than P1,000 a piece, you can purchase some workout gear that you can use whenever you want to work out without having to pay an entrance fee.
"Doing workouts with minimal equipment can be beneficial, particularly for the general population that hasn't tried working out in a gym setting. With proper nutrition and rest, working out with minimal equipment could be a great kickstart to getting fit," says Platinum Executive fitness coach Jumar Ilano, ACE-CPT.
Exercise without breaking the bank
Here's a list of exercise gear we came across on Lazada that are all under P1,000:
Far from a childhood toy, the simple jump or skipping rope is one of the simplest but most effective ways to get fit. You can keep a steady pace to work your aerobic fitness, or go a bit faster in spurts to get your anaerobic side going. And don't think it's a girly form of fitness, either. World-class boxers like Manny Pacquiao use it to build their fitness and improve their footwork.
It's kind of hard to increase the range of motion on push-ups unless you drill a hole on the floor for your chest to sink into. These bars allow your muscles to stretch further, which can increase the exercise's effectiveness. They're also useful if you suffer from wrist pain, as they allow you to do push-ups without the discomfort of having your palms flat on the floor.
This contraption might look like an infomercial gimmick, but it's a real killer. The ab wheel stretches and strengthens your core. It is a lot more challenging than your standard crunches, and a lot less boring, too.
If you've ever tried to sit on one of these things, then you'll know how difficult it can be to maintain your balance. Using this instead of a conventional bench is not only cheaper, but adding that instability can make an exercise more functional.
Instead of buying an expensive set of dumbbells, you can opt for a medicine ball instead. Whether you lift, slam, throw, or stabilize, there are always a myriad of great exercises to choose from.
Put it all together
Here's a sample full-body workout put together by Ilano that you can do with the equipment listed above. Included here are some options to make the exercises easier or more difficult depending on your fitness level.
30-60sec basic skipping
Progression: double-unders or crisscross jumps
Regression: Jumping jacks
15 push-ups on push-up bar
Progression: Single leg push-ups
Regression: Kneeling push-ups
10 ab wheel rollouts
Progression: start from standing
30-60sec front plank on stability ball
Progression: Single-leg front plank on stability ball
Regression: Front plank on floor
15 medicine ball deadlifts to row
Progression: Single leg-deadlift to row
Regression: No weights/medicine ball
15 squat-to-press using medicine ball
Progression: Squat-to-press to calf raise
Regression: Squat holding medicine ball
15 supermans
Repeat 2-3 times. Keep your rest periods short in between sets.
This story originally appeared on FHM.com.ph.
Minor edits have been made by the SPIN.ph editors.