No gym workouts. Get fit at home for free.

No gym workouts. Get fit at home for free.
Why pay to workout?

Working out, getting fit, and staying healthy doesn't need to be inhibited by whether or not you can afford a gym membership. You can workout at home for free. Here are some tips for getting started, followed by just a sample of no gym workout ideas and exercise descriptions. A quick search online will yield dozens more.

First of all, if you don't already exercise regularly, start slowly. Aim for 20-30 minutes at least 3 times a week. Don't overdo it in your first few days. Going too hard or for too long can cause injury and setbacks. Also take care not to completely fatigue yourself, or you'll be less likely to continue.

Secondly, when working out at home, create an atmosphere that will keep you motivated day after day.

– Make sure you have enough room to move and perform exercises properly.

– Play upbeat music.

– Change your environment by getting outside when you can.

– Workout with a friend so you can motivate and encourage one another. Plus, being able to chat a bit helps the session time go more quickly.

– Vary your routine and challenge yourself. If it gets boring or too easy, you're more likely to start slacking off.

– Try a variety of exercises until you find a handful you actually enjoy doing. If you hate doing every move, you'll quit. But if you like most of them, you can push yourself through a few of the ones you hate, with the goal of getting to the ones you like.

And lastly, work movement and exercise into your everyday routine to keep your body healthier and moving well. Some common ways:

– Wash your car or any windows.

– Vacuum at a good pace, even adding a bounce in your step.

– Park as far as you can from the entrance to any store you shop.

– Redecorate a room (such as painting), rearrange your furniture, reorganize a closet or even a whole room.

– Take the stairs more. Even go up and down a few more trips than is actually necessary when doing tasks like laundry.

– Volunteer, especially for anything that has to do with kids!

When you're ready to start your own no gym workout routine, you can use your own body weight and gravity, says popular health site WebMD.com.

Here are several exercises for no gym workouts, courtesy of WedMD.com:

– Mimic chopping wood with an exercise band. Attach a band overhead and grab it over the shoulder, trunk angled toward the band. Pull down to the opposite hip, rotating slightly. Slowly return.

– Burn fat with a circuit that includes push-ups, pull-ups, and crunches, followed by a two-minute run. Repeat or alternate with another circuit of biceps curls, dips, and shoulder presses to target smaller muscles.

– Perform wide grip push-ups by placing your hands outside the shoulders. Engage your core, thighs, and gluts to get the most out of this push-up.

– Try decline push-ups. Get into a standard push-up: hands a little wider than shoulder-width apart, fingers facing forward, elbows slightly bent, and eyes on the floor. Then place feet behind you on a sturdy chair or bench. Keep your body in a straight line, engage the abs, bend your elbows, and lower your chest towards the floor. Push back to starting position.

– Jump squat for increasing endurance. Shift your hips back and down until your heels start to lift off the floor. Pause briefly and explode up, swinging the arms overhead as you straighten your legs. Create a straight line from toes to fingers, with your back flat. Land softly on the middle of your foot and sink back into a squat to help absorb the impact.

– Learn the basic plank. Lie on your stomach, elbows close to your sides and directly under your shoulders, palms down. Using your abs, slowly lift your torso off the floor, keeping your torso and legs steady. Don't let your low back sag and don't hike up your hips. Hold this position for 15 seconds or more — and don't hold your breath!

One more no gym workout suggestion and exercise explanation, courtesy of MuscleandFitness.com:

10 jump squats – 15 air bicycles – 20 pushups. Add walking, jogging or sprinting, if you are able. Perform 2 or 3 sets to begin, then add more as your endurance increases.

AIR BICYCLE:

Lay on the floor with legs raised, knees bent and hands on ears or back of neck
Bring your right elbow towards your left knee
Alternate by then bringing your left elbow towards your right knee
Bring speed to emulate the feel of being on a bicycle