help me brainstorm-- winter exercise!
okay so here's my dilemma, i'm hoping some vegwebbers can help me find a solution!
1. I'm in high school, and so I'm busy 8-3 Mon- Fri. I'm also busy at very unpredictable times after school due to meetings, AP biology labs which are scheduled at my teacher's whim, rehearsals etc.
2. During the summers I really enjoy running or jogging near my house, but because of problem number 1 + cold New England weather + sun set at like 4:00 in the afternoon, I can't really do much.
3. A membership at the gym is fairly costly, but I suppose I could do it for the upcoming winter months
4. I want to start yoga but worry about cost, again, and also about committing to a time multiple times a week (meaning-- I'm willing to do say an hour every week on Mondays, Weds, Fris and Suns, but I can't always guarantee that I could do M, W, F 6:30-7:30 and Sun 9-10)
I'm not necessarily concerned about my weight.. just that I want to get into better shape, and loosing 5-10 pounds wouldn't be the end of the world, but it isn't my main priority.
Thanks :)
I'm a big fan of disc golf. It's free (or either very cheap--a park near my house is $2 entry, but most parks are free), low-impact, and highly addictive! You can pick up used discs at Play It Again Sports or someplace similar in your area. I've also seen discs pretty cheap on ebay. It's great exercise, even though you're just walking around, because of the twisting motion when you throw. You're really throwing it like...cracking a whip, not like tossing a frisbee to a buddy. The rules are basically the same as ball golf, you're aiming for a big basket or a marked pole (depending on the course). Anyway when I was playing on a regular basis I got into shape fast! It's so much fun it doesn't feel like you're exercising. Even though it's cold, you could bundle up, head out on a weekend morning & by lunchtime you'll want to shed a layer or two.
I also have a couple of yoga and salsa dancing videos (yes VHS lol I know I'm way behind!) that I like to do when I don't feel like going out. With something like that you can do it whenever you have time.
Along with my gym membership comes all sorts of classes- yoga, pilates, etc.
That damned gaming system Wii is quite... what's the word... makes you work out a little bit, but that's more costly than a gym membership for a few months.
If you have some open space around your house you can do some simple circuit exercises. Pushups, situps, V-ups, dips, squats, bicycles, bridges, inclined pushups, squat thrusts, squat thrusts with a star jump at the end, hip rolls, etc etc. You will get a very good upper body/core/leg workout depending how you put them together and it gives you a lot of variation as to what you want to do that day.
I remember going to super duper cheap (maybe even free) aerobics classes at the YMCA in the winter with a sporty friend of mine. I lived in PA. We didn't have to sign up for anything, you could just go whenever you could go. I, of course, went once because i hate exercising.
my boyfriends mom walks back and forth through her house in the winter, she'll put the TV on in every room and kind of watch the news while walking back and forth. OH! i even have a video of it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khXmHu4QP9U
that was actually my valentines present one year. best present EVER!
Along with my gym membership comes all sorts of classes- yoga, pilates, etc.
That damned gaming system Wii is quite... what's the word... makes you work out a little bit, but that's more costly than a gym membership for a few months.
my local gym is pretty small, a membership just includes access to the equipment. you CAN take yoga classes there (as far as I know) but they still cost you, you just get them at a discount.
Along with my gym membership comes all sorts of classes- yoga, pilates, etc.
That damned gaming system Wii is quite... what's the word... makes you work out a little bit, but that's more costly than a gym membership for a few months.
my local gym is pretty small, a membership just includes access to the equipment. you CAN take yoga classes there (as far as I know) but they still cost you, you just get them at a discount.
Well that STINKS. I'm sorry. I never go to the classes anyway... why on earth am I paying for them?
Well that STINKS. I'm sorry. I never go to the classes anyway... why on earth am I paying for them?
haha i agree. i'm thinking I'll drop in on a yoga class at one of the local studios and see if i enjoy it. If i do maybe I can get my parents to give me some classes for christmas to help with the cost. really I just need a solution between now and mid march when the days will be long enough for me to actually get home at 5 without my headlights on. :)
Consider videotapes (oh, I guess now it would be DVDs). There are a bunch of very good yoga ones out there plus aerobic or just toning tapes if that is what you are interested in. A good tape can be a lot of fun and motivating as well.
Consider viedeotapes (oh, I guess now it would be DVDs). There are a bunch of very good yoga ones out there plus aerobic or just toning tapes if that is what you are interested in. A good tape can be a lot of fun and motivating as well.
Yeah work out dvds can be good...I was doing pilates at home for a while, that stuff really works! Try that out, its a one time investment that will last you a long time and you can do it at your convenience !
Check your local library. You should be able to check out exercise videos / dvd's and try them out for a week or two! That way you can do something at home with no commitment to buy anything. Plus you can try anything from Richard Simmons to Belly Dancing! Explore your options.
I do think an appropriate free weight or two is good for arms, mine is a lil 8lb one from Target that was under $10. Even just basic exercises (as stated above) are good.
Personally, I would forego the gym membership and just buy some winter-weather running clothes instead. Running during the wintertime, even in the dark, can be a lot of fun as long as you're dressed appropriately! If you run in a park, wear reflective clothing and keep your cell phone handy, you're pretty safe. And of course there will be some days when due to snow, ice, wind chill, etc you won't be able to go out, so have a workout DVD or strength training routine to do indoors on those days. But if you're like me, nothing indoors can compare to the great outdoors!
I too, hate running outdoors in the FREAKING cold weather. Cody's not a fan either - he's kind of skinny. Okay, he's all legs and ears, not a lot of insulation.
Anyway, I got a fun, fun, fun idea from someone, and now have a mini trampoline in my living room! While watching TV I jump on one leg, two legs, do twists, and also do sit-ups and push-ups on it. The sit-ups and push-ups are good 'cause the trampoline acts as a balance ball and isn't very stable, so my core gets a good workout too. Of course Cody doesn't like me jumping and spends the whole time trying to bite my shirt and drag me off of there. Anyway, it was $30 at the local sports store, and I bet any of the ones near you are having Holiday sales.
Does anyone have suggestions for good DVDs though - I'd get some from my library - that's a good idea.
For those interested in fitness videos/dvds, I recommend www.videofitness.com. There's a reader forum when you can ask others specific questions; you can also search previous discussions of topics of interest. There's also a section of video reviews which can be searched by type of exercise or instructor name.
i remember those days! i don't know how i did it. i always got my exercise thought because part of what kept me runnin around from 7am-10pm every night was a whoping 3-4 HOURS of wrestling practice everyday. oi, how did i do it :-\?
I have a stationery bike, no wait, it's not paper--a STATIONARY bike...that's better. I set it in front of the TV. For upper body work, get some weights and check out one of those DVDs from the library...or google "strength training". You should find some simple things. You don't even have to buy weights...a can of veggies or a water bottle filled with sand in each hand would do nicely.
I have a county park in my area with an indoor walking track. I go after work and walk for 30 minutes a day. It costs me $10 a year. Maybe you can contact your dept of parks and recreation and see if there is one in your area?
Personally, I would forego the gym membership and just buy some winter-weather running clothes instead. Running during the wintertime, even in the dark, can be a lot of fun as long as you're dressed appropriately! If you run in a park, wear reflective clothing and keep your cell phone handy, you're pretty safe. And of course there will be some days when due to snow, ice, wind chill, etc you won't be able to go out, so have a workout DVD or strength training routine to do indoors on those days. But if you're like me, nothing indoors can compare to the great outdoors!
Besides the clothes you can also get a head light. If you do this I would also recommend carrying pepper spray and not listening to your ipod.
wow thanks for all the ideas guys :) my friend has a guest pass to her yoga studio so she's going to take me there this weekend so I can check it out (this studio does ashtanga yoga which seems like its a decent work out, not just stretching and such which i'm excited about). Also I'll definately check out the library for some strength training videos. I have some Taebo videos.. somewhere.. i think.
And maybe you guys are right and winter running clothes would be best. its just freeeeeeeezing. ;)
my boyfriends mom walks back and forth through her house in the winter, she'll put the TV on in every room and kind of watch the news while walking back and forth. OH! i even have a video of it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khXmHu4QP9U
that was actually my valentines present one year. best present EVER!
Ok, that was adorable. Assuming your boyfriend is the videotaper and not the...hot tub guy. ;D
I made myself a hoop and hoop dance in the basement for about and hour a day. It's fun and I get to listen to music and be silly, plus my abs are starting to change for the better. I do it when I feel like it, so there is no set time. My children also have customized hoops so we do it together and learn new tricks.
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