Is a gym membership too expensive or too much of a commitment? There are plenty of ways to get in shape, even in Colorado’s cold weather, and do it for free or at low cost. Here are 10 affordable ways to exercise, gleaned from a trainer, exercise enthusiast and Internet sources:
1. Walk. It’s the cheapest form of transportation and fitness. Says Michael Ditchfield, a personal trainer: “Walking is great. You can walk at a normal rate and still utilize 2-pound weights. You get so much more from walking that way. As long as you have force and resistance you can get great aerobic exercise.” The only equipment you need is a comfortable pair of shoes and the right clothing for the weather. Even in the dead of winter, you can bundle up, tromp through the snow and in 30 minutes you’ve burned about 150 calories.
If you don’t like the cold, most of the area malls allow walkers to enter the shopping centers early in the morning. (Check with the mall near you for details.) The 16th Street Mall is approximately a 1-mile walk from Broadway to Market Street, and many downtown workers take the stroll during their lunch break.
2. Climb stairs instead of taking the elevator. Start slowly, climbing two or three flights of stairs, and gradually increase your flights. Thirty minutes of stair climbing can burn nearly 400 calories for a 200-pound person. Descending stairs burns almost one-third fewer calories and is easier on the knees. On , Dr. Jonathan Krant warns: “Stair climbing is of cardiovascular benefit, but may be difficult for someone with established osteoarthritis who has weak quadriceps and hamstrings.” Ditchfield adds a note of warning, too: “You have to be careful. If you (climb steps) excessively, you can do more damage than good. (But) there’s nothing better than running up and down a flight of stairs — if you take it easy. I can run 6 miles a day, but running up a flight of stairs can wear me out.”
3. Run the steps at your local arena or stadium or a neighborhood hill. The late Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton credited much of his playing longevity to running a steep hill near his Chicago home when he was playing for the Bears. Start slowly and this exercise can increase your cardiovascular health as well as your leg strength. Red Rocks Amphitheatre is an excellent location for this exercise. High school gyms and stadiums also may be available for general use. Check your area facilities for availability. Make do with small hills in your neighborhood; there are plenty scattered throughout Denver.
4. Score guest passes at health clubs. Bally’s (800-515-2582 or ) and 24 Hour Fitness (24hourfitness.com) offer free seven-day trial memberships. Be mindful that the bigger health club chains will try to sell you a longer membership. Most clubs offer corporate rates, so if your employer or a group of employees pool their resources, rates could be cheaper than individual membership. Plus, you’ll have some exercise buddies. As always, negotiate with a club you like. They may be willing to bargain with you.
5. Join a YMCA, park district or municipal recreation center, almost always a cheaper option than a private health club. With six metro Denver facilities, the YMCA also offers a seven-day trial pass at . There are 29 Denver recreation centers (denvergov.org/recreation) with a variety of fitness options, including lockers, showers, pools, gyms and weight equipment. Day passes range from $2 to $5. A 20- punch card ranges from $40 to $60 and there also are three- month, six-month and yearly membership rates for residents and nonresidents.
6. Scout thrift stores, garage sales and the Internet for fitness equipment. Thrift stores (.; .; .) usually have plenty of equipment, from treadmills to stairmasters and barbells to Nautilus-type machines. The same goes for garage sales and websites like . and . Remember the equipment is used, so buyer beware.
7. Borrow free exercise DVDs or tapes at the public library. There are nearly 300 exercise DVDs, more than 1,000 books and a handful of audio books available on the Denver Public Library website (denverlibrary.org). There are even four exercise entries for a 21-day download; all you need is a library card and to register on the website.
8. Share equipment with a friend, neighbor or roommate. If your neighbor has a treadmill, maybe you can let him or her borrow your free weights, for example, while you use his or her machine.
9. Log on to the Internet or tune in to cable television. The Web is a great outlet for useful information and videos on such sites as . Cable and satellite TV offer several channels (Fit TV, Discovery Health, Fine Living and PBS) that have fitness programming. Plus, check out Comcast’s On Demand programming for other fitness information.
10. Stash 3- or 5-pound weights or resistance bands at work or home. Both are great stress releasers and can help increase your flexibility and strength. “You can use just what you have around you,” Ditchfield says. “Just use a simple chair at home with 5- and 8-pound dumbbells or a big rubber ball. You can do squats, curls and all sorts of exercises with very little equipment.”
Andrew Hudson credits his personal trainer, Brian Barkley, for his physical transformation — losing 21 pounds in four months to start — but credits his ability to keep up a simple routine at home for staying fit. “I found out that going to a gym just wasn’t my cup of tea,” Hudson said via e-mail. “I can do my weight/tension band routine in the morning and am able to watch the news or even a movie during my routine to make it seem like it goes faster. Tension ropes are amazing and cheap. You can get workouts similar to weights using the tension ropes. Athletes love ’em and they are great for traveling too. The stability ball is great too and way better for your back, legs and hips than a weight bench. You can use it for a wide variety of workout exercises on its own or for support when you lift the weights.”
Fitness balls cost about $20, while resistance bands are $8 to $20 at .
Online
- (more than 30 exercises for calorie counters)
- Preview nearly 800 videos.
- (calorie counter)
- (stair-climbing calorie calculator)
- (calorie counter, weight loss calculator and tutorial)
- (activity calories calculator)
