7 Reasons You Don't Need A Gym To Get In Shape

By Charlotte Andersen for Shape.com

Your body is just as good as any fancy fitness machine. Here's why:

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• The Possibilities Are Endless

  People hear "bodyweight training" and immediately think "boring." But there are so many more options than pushups, planks and squats! Think Spider Man pushups, wall sits and criss-cross kicks. With a little creativity, your options are virtually limitless. <strong>More from Shape.com:</strong> <a href="http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/10-reasons-why-you-need-try-bodyrocktv" target="_hplink">10 Reasons to Try BodRock.Tv</a> <a href="http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/best-workouts-you-arent-doing" target="_hplink">The Best Workouts You Aren't Doing</a> <a href="http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/ultimate-arms-and-abs-workout" target="_hplink">The Ultimate Abs and Arms Workout</a> <em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/everydaypants/3767243482/" target="_hplink">ramsey beyer</a></em>

• There's Less Risk Of Injury

  It's hard to drop a weight on your foot when the only weight you're using is your own body. Being in control of how intense you make the exercise means you can feel potential problems right away and adjust your form without having to worry about rolling the squat bar over your neck.

• The Workouts Are Easy To Modify

  Exercise beginners are often terrified of boot-camp style workouts, and experienced gym-goers sometimes write off bodyweight training as not challenging enough. Fortunately there are so many options and variations that you can make them as easy or as difficult as you need. If you can't do clapping pushups from your toes, have you ever tried them from your knees? Still too hard? Try them standing up, leaning forward into a wall.

• It's Less Intimidating

  Weight rooms can be daunting, as can the latest and greatest fitness equipment, but don't let your fears hold you back from a killer workout. Sticking to lunges, squats, triceps dips and the like is an easy way to get comfortable with strength workouts and focus on using proper form.

• You Can Do It Anywhere

  Waiting for the cable guy? Flight delayed? You can fit in an effective bodyweight workout anywhere. All you need is a little open space on the floor -- and maybe a little disregard for what people think.

• It's Cheaper

  Nothing is more economical than working out with what you've got on hand. Literally. But giving your wallet a break doesn't mean you're giving your body one -- bodyweight workouts can be every bit as effective as ones you do in the gym.

• You Can Easily Track Your Progress

  With simple bodyweight exercises, it's easy to see how your strength is progressing. No need to worry about sets, weight loads and rest periods -- if you can count you can track your progress. <strong>More from Shape.com:</strong> <a href="http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/10-reasons-why-you-need-try-bodyrocktv" target="_hplink">10 Reasons to Try BodRock.Tv</a> <a href="http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/best-workouts-you-arent-doing" target="_hplink">The Best Workouts You Aren't Doing</a> <a href="http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/ultimate-arms-and-abs-workout" target="_hplink">The Ultimate Abs and Arms Workout</a>

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Comments

[Steeplechase2000]

08:47 PM on 03/21/2012

Seriously - Do try the weight walking vest and shorts by nyknyc they offer resistance workouts to you no gym necessary and you can put em on go walking anytime anywhere you like no gym nec
HTTP://WWW.NYKNYC.COM

[spahtahnikas]

02:10 PM on 03/07/2012

You're better off shelling out a couple hundred bucks and picking up a used barbell/bench/rack. Sure, you can put a small dent in the process by doing some body weight exercises but why forego the usage of the single best strength-building tool? The only real reason I can think of is living alone; most suburban places have $20-30 monthly gym memberships anyway. Regardless, people are better off putting insecurities behind them and taking up barbell training.

My fiance has been lifting for about 7 weeks and she's lost almost 25 lbs and added 105 lbs to her squats already. If she were doing body weight exercises, there's no way she'd be as strong and able to burn as much fat. Insecurity is no reason to skip the gym and the costs are marginal.

[KatyTuncer]

06:51 AM on 03/07/2012

If you're a mum with a new baby (or two or three), then going to the gym can be pretty difficult. Getting active outside with your babies and a lovely group of fellow mums in a local park is far more inspiring!

Going out for some exercise with your baby in his/her buggy is medically proven to reduce the baby blues and mild postnatal depression, as well as increasing self-esteem in new mums. Combine with some core strengthening exercises at home and you've got it made.

[noahmarder]

04:23 AM on 03/07/2012

You can get a moderately effective workout from exercises such as pushups, pullups, pistol squats, and handstand pushups. If you're actually looking to build strength, on the other hand, you will probably need a gym. Even a one handed pushup is equivalent to only about a 1.2X bodyweight bench press (and the extreme internal rotation typically used for one handed pushups isn't great for rotator cuff health), and a pistol squat only loads your leg equivalently to a regular squat with your bodyweight added as an external load (although balancing can be challenging at first).

Resistance bands are less natural than weights, as they load the muscles unevenly throughout the motion (Hooke's law is a fair approximation for the force required to stretch those bands).

Isometric holds (wall sits, for example), don't train muscles to do any meaningful activity, and probably have their best use in rehabilitating injuries. An exception may be training muscles that chiefly function as stabilizers rather than as prime movers.

In short, a home workout is certainly better than nothing, but a gym provides more numerous, and often more effective options.

[Michel t]

09:12 PM on 03/06/2012

Yes it can be done at home... but oddly enough, it demands more determination.

-

You are more easily distracted by 'other' things to do while at home...

[SteenyQ]

07:06 PM on 03/06/2012

I love the gym and before moving to a very remote part of Costa Rica, I went to gym six days a week. Now I do not have access to a gym and it has taken a toll. I worked with a trainer at a gym, but we never talked about what to do when you don't have access to the equipment. (I think that is a trainers worst nightmare) My saving grace was when my shipment of household goods finally arrived, along with my Wii fit. I never paid much attention to it before, but I liked the Yoga and the balance games. I'm one week in and have lost 2 lbs and I feel tighter. In addition to the Wii I also do about a 30-45 minute fast paced walk on the beach every other day.
I've learned that the gym isn't always necessary, but I do miss the routine involved. I also miss an air conditioned place to exercise!

[MissFrijole]

09:05 AM on 03/06/2012

I like the gym because I feel like I am being productive in my workout...usually. The only thing I hate is having to work out around other people. I am very self concious so I feel like everyone is staring at me. We have a gym at work that is frequented by Marines (I work at an installation), as a female, I get weirded out by them. I take my dumbells and work out in a hallway to avoid them watching or eyeballing me. The same goes for the other gym I go to at a different base, except there it's all retired geriatrics and civilians, which is less pressure, but the place gets too crowded. I would work out at home more, but I don't feel that it as productive or effective.

[geddy lee is a god]

03:09 PM on 03/05/2012

I think it's fair to have the best of both worlds: gym and non-gym exercises. I attend bench step and Zumba classes at my fitness center 3 days a week (I alternate going before and after work), and jog on the weekend mornings. Going to the gym is fun because I get a chance to be silly with my mate and our friends. The instructors like to throw in old school songs with cool beats (Soul II Soul - Back to Life remix, MC Hammer - They Put Me in the Mix), which turns the class into the club. LOL.

Saturday and Sunday mornings though are my time. I live in Seattle, so there are multiple locations I can run when I want to enjoy the peace of nature. Nothing is more serene than running in Green Lake Park, stretching while looking at the lake, and getting in the right frame of mind for my weekend activities.

Some people may not have the extra money for fitness center/gym memberships. That doesn't mean they can't enjoy the health benefits and fun of exercise. Buy a low cost aerobic bench w/steppers (20 - 25 bucks), make a playlist on your computer with your favorite songs, and workout at home; start up an unofficial walking group with friends and neighbors; many community and senior centers offer free or sliding-fee-scale exercise classes.

Gym, at-home, whatever, just do what's best for you. The goal is to improve your health.

[liporidex]

07:06 PM on 03/05/2012

Haha - That reminds me of a great aerobics class I used to teach back in the 90s - That really drew upon awesome and/or funny songs to help the class get through the tough parts. One thing that I stress to interested fitness/diet fans all the time is the importance of proper attitude. Call it whatever you will eye of the tiger etc. - but exercise and staying fit is orders of magnitude easier when you're INTO it. This means its imperative that you find something, anything that you enjoy that also burns calories. Once you do, its only a matter of time before you're looking forward to it.

Losing weight and getting in shape is not an overnight affair, it s along term thing, that involves lifestyle changes if you're not already there. Don't forget to focus on your attitude, it's what keeps you going when it gets tough.

Sometimes it's a simple as "My name is Hammer, they put me in the mix! please Hammer don't hurt em!"

[geddy lee is a god]

09:23 PM on 03/05/2012

Absolutely. Exercise should not feel like a chore...it should be seen as something you want to do and not have to do. When our instructor throws out a wild card track, we get in it. I move/shake so hard, all of my baby hair comes up. LOL.

Do you still teach aerobics?

[liporidex]

11:45 AM on 03/05/2012

These are great ways to maintain your fitness and or tone - but If you need to GET in shape, you may need a bit more than these techniques offer. Check out the article after the jump for some ideas and solutions. http://bit.ly/zqlYPn

[grankov]

06:42 AM on 03/05/2012

Sounds reasonable

[Andrea W171]

09:06 PM on 03/04/2012

I find it much more inspirational to work at the gym. There is all this cool equipment that I like to switch to.
I also keep hearing this thing about it being daunting. Hardly, unless you're insecure about what other people think of you. I just don't care, even with my sweaty red face.
I'm more likely to push myself and get through an hour at the gym ( that I took the time to get ready for and get to), than get through an hour long work out at home.

[900]

12:22 PM on 03/04/2012

Balleys Total Fitness -- I hate you for taking my membership fee, then closing your facilies so that every member has to drive one hour to go to the club!!!!!!! Now I get letters for renewing my membership to a club that I can no longer go too. Not too Classy!!!

I am a swimmer. You cannot do that without a pool.

Although there are many exercises that you can do at home. Going to a facility keeps you motivated. Plus there are many different types of exercises that are more fun to do with a group, like jazzersize,
zumba and other cardios. Curcit training is much easier at a gym, the different equipment is all set up.

Yoga is better with an instructor because there are always new positions.

IMO you workout better because everyone is working out. Sure there are those few who just go to prance around and look pretty, but soon you see that they get older, stop prancing around and really work out. Then they are the ones annoid by the new prancers. Its pretty funny. I miss the people I use to see everyday, but will make new workout friends once I join another facility (have to get over bad feelings of getting dists by Bally's first).

[GeneralDisarray]

05:21 PM on 03/04/2012

Different "strokes"

[900]

05:43 PM on 03/04/2012

One on every site!

[WilmaJune]

11:24 AM on 03/04/2012

Showing picture of slim people makes me want to eat. Nothing motivational about a woman twisted up like a pretzel when I cannot cross my legs.

[MissFrijole]

09:09 AM on 03/06/2012

If anything, it should motivate you to eat healthier, so eventually, you can cross your legs. Compulsive eating is self-defeatist.

[WilmaJune]

10:02 AM on 03/06/2012

Watching the Biggest Loser is motivational because I know how difficult losing weight can be. Dr. Oz gives ideas for re-structuring my eating habits. He also shows exercises that can slim certain areas. Dr. Oz is a good motivator. The weight went on slowly and it is coming off the same way.

[jcvd]

09:57 AM on 03/04/2012

I work out better at the gym. I get in, work hard, and get done because my brain knows what I'm there to do.

[michael medeiros]

10:34 PM on 03/03/2012

Whether you workout at home or in a gym the key is to find the place that is going to keep you motivated. The great thing about fitness is you can do what you want and where you want to do it. Consistency will lead to results.

Best Cardio Workouts You May Be Missing
http://exerciseandnutritiontips.com/best-cardio-workouts-you-may-be-missing