No matter the reason, going to the gym is not always an option. You might live too far away, find the membership too expensive, or simply might not like gyms. But this doesn’t mean you can’t get fit or stay healthy. In fact, you can still get a great workout without stepping foot in a gym.

Whether you stay inside or get outdoors, here are some of our top tips for staying fit without the gym.

YouTube Workouts

YouTube has thousands of workout related videos, all for free! Examine the options and find what suits you, most videos won’t require equipment or anything special. This is the perfect time to give something like Zumba or yoga a go – try new exercises. If you have felt too intimidated to do a class, doing the exercise in the comfort of your home is sure to put you at ease.

If you miss having a personal trainer or struggle with motivation, YouTube videos can help. Find an instructor you like, with workouts that will test you, and you will feel like you have a trainer all to yourself. The best part is, you can keep doing videos until you feel worked out enough or stop and start the video as necessary. The amount you exercise and when is entirely up to you!

Get Equipment for Home Use

A set of weights or a jump rope could go a long way in helping you get fit. Usually reasonably priced, simple equipment can take your workouts to the next level and encourage muscle strengthening. You don’t need to worry about whether it is clean or wait around for certain things to be available, your equipment is yours.

If you want to save money, check out swap websites. You may be surprised at just how much people are willing to give away for barely anything – or even nothing! You can also save money by getting creative; use household items as weights or use the stairs as your own Stairmaster alternative. Did you know climbing stairs burns more calories per minute than jogging? If you weren’t already considering taking the stairs more often, you should be now.

Get Walking

You probably already know the great benefits of walking, but just in case you need reminding, walking is a fantastic low impact way to increase cardiovascular fitness. Not only is it free, you only need suitable shoes to get started. It may even help you save money, like on fuel. Start walking more in your daily life and you’ll soon see a difference in fitness. You could even get family or friends involved and make walking a healthy way to catch up and bond.

Find out more about walking for weight loss here.

Find a Local Trim Trail

Local parks or neighbourhood spaces are a great place to get fit. There are often community running groups or outdoor classes to take part in. But also, many parks or outdoor trails have specialist equipment perfect for mixing up your cardio with some bodyweight exercises. Incorporate the equipment into your walk or run and see fitness increase. Use different equipment for a set of reps and then repeat to make a whole workout out of your trim trail. The best part is, it’s FREE!

Do a Virtual Challenge

Especially good if you struggle with motivation or finding time to exercise, virtual challenges give you the freedom to work out when you like. Virtual challenges give you a time frame in which to complete a certain goal, usually measured in distance, allowing you to fit exercise around your lifestyle. Often not requiring any equipment besides a good pair of trainers, virtual challenges can be completed pretty much wherever, gym or not.

Race At Your Pace have a selection of distances to complete across a variety of exercises, meaning it doesn’t matter if you are athletic or a total exercise novice; you can choose how hard to push yourself. Whether you want to complete a walking, running, cycling or swimming challenge, you can find a challenge to suit you. You even get a shiny medal for finishing a challenge – what’s not to love?!

See more: Benefits of Virtual Challenges

Workout Apps

As with YouTube videos, there are countless apps designed to help you get fit without needing the gym. 30-day challenge apps provide short and structured workouts to increase fitness in a brief period. Browse the app store and find one (or a few) that suit you. Use an app to help you complete your virtual challenge; if you are a beginner, it may be useful to have a guide or a trainer in your ear to get you started.

Join a Local Team

If there is a sport you’ve always wanted to play, or perhaps something you were good at in school but never did again, why not find a local team? Plenty of neighbourhoods or towns have teams for all kinds of sport. Some, like cricket or rounders, may be seasonal due to weather dependency, however there are indoor sports for the colder months too. Playing a team sport will encourage you to exercise, increase your fitness and create new friendships.

Stay Fit and Healthy with Race At Your Pace

Whatever your current level of fitness, Race At Your Pace has a challenge for you. Get outside and get active to reach your goal (and win your medal). You don’t need a gym to complete your challenge, just some determination and the right shoes. Enter your first challenge today!