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If money is tight, running, cycling or swimming offer low cost exercise opportunities.  You don’t need the most expensive pair of running shoes, the most aerodynamic, top of the range bike or a designer swimming costume to take part.

Over the next few weeks we will be taking a look at some of the options available and providing you with some information about the equipment you need, safety tips and suggestions of where  to find more information.

POWER WALKING OR RUNNING          

Essential items:  a good pair of running shoes to provide proper support for your feet and ankles, running socks to protect against blisters and a visibility band/vest to wear so other road users can see you.

Calories burned in one hour:  [Approx figures only]

Before investing in a pair of shoes, visit a specialist running shop and take advice as to which type of shoe will suit you best - a specialist shop will have staff trained to determine your running style and judge which shoe is right for you (there are different shoes for over pronaters, under pronaters and the neutral runner [see www.runnersworld.ltd.uk/pronation for an explanation]).  Expect to pay anything from £60 upwards - this initial investment will be money well spent as shoes offering you the correct support will help guard against injuries in the future. 

Running alone or as part of a club?  To find your local running club do an internet search or make enquiries at your local sports centre.  Most clubs cater for runners of all abilities so don’t be put off if you have never run before or you haven’t run for a while.  Running with a club will help you learn some of the running routes in your area and there is also safety in numbers.  You will have the chance to make new friends and many clubs have affiliations with local sports shops who will then offer the club’s members a discount on shoes, clothes etc.

If you decide to run alone it is best to run in populated areas on well light paths. While it can help to have motivational music playing consider whether running with music is a good idea - it may prevent you from being fully aware of what is going on around you.  If running on the road always run towards the oncoming traffic and when running at night make sure you wear a visibility band/vest.  Introduce some interval sessions into your runs - lamp posts make excellent distance markers - jog for two, walk for one or walk for one, jog for one, sprint for one - the combinations are endless.  

For advice on training schedules for runners of all abilities see http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/ - a great web site providing all sorts of useful information for runners including full listing of races taking place across the UK.

POWER WALKING  is also an excellent form of exercise.  In addition to a good pair of training shoes, consider investing in a pedometer to record the number of steps you are taking (basic pedometers are available from most good chemists but check out FITBUG at http://www.fitbug.com/ for a more advanced motivational walking tool). 

When selecting your route go for well lit paths in populated areas.  Try to include some hill walking in your circuit - if you live somewhere flat find a flight of stairs and walk up and down these three or four times each session - great for firming up the bum and thighs. 

 Walk briskly - if you are able to carry on a conversation you are NOT walking fast enough.  Make your session more challenging by introducing some intervals - as mentioned above lamp posts are excellent interval markers.      

In Part 2 of this series we will look at cycling and swimming  …….

In the second part of our series looking at the alternatives to a gym based training programme we look at cycling and swimming:

CYCLING

Essential items: a roadworthy bike, a cycle helmet and a visibility band/vest.

 Calories burned in one hour:  [Approx figures only]

Yes, cycling can be an expensive hobby but it doesn’t have to be.  Have you got an old bike in your garage or shed?  If so, dig it out and dust it down. 

 If you haven’t ridden it for a while take it to your local bike shop for a service to ensure it is roadworthy but once it has been given a clean bill of health, there is nothing to stop you getting out on the open road.  Always wear a cycle helmet (it could save your life!) and a visibility band/vest.  NEVER ride listening to music and always use lights (front and back) if riding at night.

Like running, there are loads of cycling clubs out there.  To find a cycling club convenient to you see  http://www.thecyclepeople.com/, ask at your local cycle shop, carry out an internet search or ask at your local library.  Other useful websites include http://www.everydaycycling.com/, http://www.bikeradar.com/ and www.evanscycles.com/rideit.  Evans Cycles organise a series of weekend cycling events across the UK throughout the summer - the Saturday of each weekend is for mountain biking and the Sunday for road riding.  On each day there are different rides organised for beginners, intermediate and advanced riders - the routes are self guided and you ride at your own pace.  An excellent opportunity to explore new areas of the country without getting lost! 

[It is National Bike Week in the UK from 14 to 22 June and there are lots of cycling events being held around the UK.  Visit http://www.bikeweek.org.uk/ for information about events taking place near you - all money raised goes to Sport Relief.]

SWIMMING

Essential items: swimming costume and maybe a pair of goggles.  

Calories burned in one hour: [Approx figures only]

You can opt to pay as you go at your local sports centre although most venues will offer the opportunity to buy either a block of tickets or to purchase a “leisure card” which will entitle you to discounted visits in the future.  Some pools have special lane swimming sessions or ladies only swimming nights so phone to check what is available and when. 

See www.zogg.com/index and click on the link to Karen Pickering (former Olympic swimmer) - if you follow the links via Karen’s page you will find a series of swimming workouts which Karen has devised - available free of charge or you can register on the site (for free) to gain access to over 250 swimming work outs. 

If the idea of lane swimming fills you with dread why not check out what aqua aerobics classes are on offer at your local pool?  There are some people out there who consider aqua aerobics to be a “soft” option but aqua classes can provide a very hard workout - it all depends on how much effort you put into the session.  Like everything else, the more you put in to it, the more you get out of it.  There is a reduced risk of injury when exercising in water as you are supported by the water and there is very little impact through your joints.                                    

In the next part of the series we will look at opportunities offered by local fitness classes and also consider the possibility of home training sessions ………….

Do I have to go to the gym to get fit? [Part 3]

Continuing with our review of non gym based fitness opportunities we take a look at local fitness classes and home & work training opportunities.

LOCAL FITNESS CLASSES

Essential items:   a good pair of training shoes and, depending on the class you may be asked to take an exercise mat or towel to use for floor work.

Calories burned in one hour: [Approx figures only]

Check out your local library, see your local press or do an internet search to find details of classes in your area. Also the next time the brochure comes through your door detailing the Adult Education Courses on offer take a careful look - many local authorities subsidise a range of fitness and exercise classes, meaning you can attend classes at very affordable rates.

The range of classes available is huge - yoga, pilates, karate, kickboxing, circuit training, salsa, aerobics, swiss ball, legs,bums & tums….. the list is endless.  Some instructors will allow you to pay as you go, while others may require you to book for a block of sessions up front. 

GOVERNMENT BACKED “GET BACK INTO” SCHEMES

In an attempt to combat the ever increasing obesity levels and to encourage people to become more active, the UK government is currently funding schemes across a range of sporting disciplines aimed at encouraging people to get up out of their arm chairs and off their sofas.  Participants are offered the opportunity to sign up for courses ranging in duration from 4 to 6 weeks.   Schemes are run by qualified coaches and because of the government subsidies they are offered to participants for a nominal sum.  Keep an eye on your local press for details of schemes being run in your area.   

HOME & WORK TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

Essential items:  a good pair of training shoes.   

Calories burned in one hour: [Approx figures only]

Do you have some space in your garage or a spare bedroom which you could convert into a “home” gym?  Second hand gym equipment is frequently advertised in local papers and you should have no trouble getting hold of an exercise bike or a cross trainer.  OK, so these machines will not be as sophisticated as the one’s you will find in a gym but they will be sufficient for getting your heart rate up and burning off calories. For a gym standard piece of equipment, investigate the purchase of a reconditioned rowing machine.  

 Rowers take up little space, are low maintenance and are one of the best pieces of fitness equipment - rowing is an excellent stress reliever and is very effective for fat burning and weight loss. Not only do you get an excellent cardiovascular workout from rowing, you also work every major muscle group.  Skipping ropes and rebounders (mini trampolines) are both low cost pieces of equipment readily available which will provide a good cardio vascular workout.  Second hand dumbbells are another item often see advertised in the local press but if you don’t have much space available, consider performing your resistance exercises with a dynaband resistance/fitness band or a resistance tube - both provide an effective resistance workout and have the advantage of being portable so you can take them with you and train while you are away on business trips or holidays.

A swiss ball is another readily available piece of kit used for working your core muscles. If you are limited in terms of space, or cash or both, a swiss ball can double as a weight’s bench

using the ball as a bench requires you to engage your core muscles to achieve stability while performing the main resistance exercise, so not only do you work the muscle group targeted by the exercise you are performing, your  core muscles are worked as well.  Add a CD player and some motivational CDs to your home gym and away you go….

Another possibility is to invest in a fitnessvideopodcast.  Each podcast gives you a “real time” workout of approximately one hour.  The “virtual” DoubleVision Team delivers a personal training session with exercises for each major muscle group.  Every exercise is demonstrated and clearly explained to enable you to perform the exercise safely and effectively.  A podcast session can be performed at home, in the garden or at the park.  Portable, affordable and available 24/7, a podcast allows you to train at any time convenient to you.    

Speak to your employer and see if they will agree to purchasing a fitness videopodcast for you and your work colleagues.  Explain to your employer that staff sick days are estimated to cost the UK economy a staggering £13bn a year and that research has shown fitter and healthier employees result in increased productivity through reduced absenteeism.

 We are offering podcast downloads at a discounted rate for multiple downloads by the same organisation.   So while in the difficult economic climate your employer may not be able to provide you with a fully equipped work place gym or to subsidise your gym membership, videopodcasts are priced at a level affordable to most.  By making podcasts available to staff, your employer stands to gain a happier, healthier and more motivated work force for a fraction of the cost of providing the Company’s Christmas party!  Your employer can obtain more information about the discounts available by emailing us at info@fitnessvideopodcasts.com.    

Our aim over the course of this series, has been to give you some ideas about the options available and tips on where to look for more information.  Obviously we can only scratch the surface as the range of sporting activities available is enormous. What you chose to do will depend on the time and money available to you but we hope we have convinced you that you do not need to spend large sums of money to keep fit. There are lots of alternatives to an expensive gym membership from which you can derive very real fitness benefits.