“New Year, new you” is often the mantra of gyms as they try to get people to sign up at the start of the calendar year with a fresh start in mind. But statistics show that 67 per cent of people with gym membership never use them!
So before you go down the same route, consider getting a little creative. Here’s how to get fit and have fun, all while potentially saving a ton of money.
Channel Your Inner Rocky IV
If you never made it to IV, bookmark this for later and cue up the fourth installment of the Italian Stallion’s saga where he (spoiler alert) wins the Cold War by getting shredded in Siberia. The key: splitting wood, carrying wood, and pulling weighted sleighs. But seriously, outdoor work is a major calorie burner because your body demands more oxygen and uses more energy to maintain. You’ll get strong and fit while also getting fresh air and exercise to boost your immunity and help keep you healthy during sick season.
Join a Virtual-Reality Training Session
There are so many online indoor trainer options, you don’t need to trudge out to the gym for a social workout. Train with an online team through TrainerRoad. Join a group ride on Zwift, or stoke your competitive fires by jumping into the program’s new Zwift Crit Series.
Get Your House in Order
If general fitness is what you’re after, look no further than your mop, bucket, and vacuum. In a large study of 130,000 people across 17 countries published earlier this year, researchers from McMaster University found that doing household chores for half an hour, five days a week, slashes the risk of death by 28 per cent and heart disease by 20 per cent. For a real workout, get in there and move furniture, crawl low to get under beds, scrub walls. It’s kind of like CrossFit, but you get a clean house to boot.
Make Your Own WOD
Start every morning with your own workout of the day (à la CrossFit). Pick a body weight exercise for your upper body (try pushups/10 reps), your lower body (air squats/10 reps), and your core (mountain climbers/10 reps). Set a timer for 5-10 minutes and repeat the circuit as many times as you can.
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