While some people would be lost without their gym membership, you don't need the equipment housed in these buildings to get a great workout. You can work on your cardiovascular health, as well as muscle mass while outside, at home or even while waiting in line.
Walk around Your Neighborhood
A good cardio workout is one of the most important ways to prevent obesity and protect against chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, stroke and cancer. While some personal trainers will convince you that you need to do your cardio at a gym, where you can track your time, distance and calories, you can measure these markers just as easily while walking around your own neighborhood. To track your distance, simply drive around the path you will be taking with your car, using the odometer to determine the total distance. To determine calories burned, remember that a 150-pound person walking at a moderate pace can usually burn around 100 calories per hour. Adjust your calorie burn to reflect any changes in weight or exercise intensity.
Do Pull Ups at a Local Playground
Though cardiovascular exercise is important for good health, high amounts of strength is also essential. For best results when strength training outside of the gym, look for exercises that target large muscle groups. Pull ups are a great example of an exercise that can be used to increase muscle mass and strength in the upper back and shoulders. Use monkey or gymnastic bars to achieve optimal results when performing pull ups.
Do Sit Ups in between Commercials
Sit ups are a great way to increase muscle mass in your abdomen. While getting a muscular abdomen may be inspiring for those looking to flaunt their bikini bodies, it is also essential to prevent against back pain and strain as you age. One great way to increase your core strength is by performing sit ups in between commercial breaks of your favorite television show. Try to do a different type of sit up during each commercial break in order to achieve optimal results. For example, at the first break, perform regular sit ups, at the next break, do a plank, and so on until the show has finished. You'll keep your mind engaged and your body strong.
Do Squats While in Line
Squats are a great way to strengthen and tone the lower body. This exercise doesn't require any special equipment, and therefore can be done anywhere--including while you're standing in line. To perform a squat, start by standing tall with your feet planted below your hips. Exhale, stick out your rear, and lower it toward the ground, as if you were about to sit in a chair. Stop lowering your body when your knees are bent to a 90-degree angle. Lift your body back up to the starting position. Perform as many squats as it takes to get you to the front of the line you're waiting in.
