Get fit without going broke

NEW YORK – If you have a limitless budget, there is no question that you can get into shape. You can hire top-flight trainers, buy yourself a Peloton or Tonal smart gym, and then splurge on bikes, kayaks and windsurfing gear.

For most people, though, shelling out thousands of dollars on fitness equipment is not practical, especially if one suspects it will end up in a dusty closet once your New Year’s resolution wears off. But here is a little secret: Getting in shape does not have to cost a fortune.

“I can go to the beach for free,” said Mr Milo Bryant, a trainer based in San Diego. “I can pick up some 100 pound (45kg) rocks and carry them.”

He added that bear crawls are another great, cheap exercise. “You do bear crawls going down steps, your upper body is dying by the end,” he said.

He noted that he eventually had to start working out at night to avoid all the stares as he lugged rocks around and crawled on steps. But there are plenty of other ways to get a solid workout for less money than a trip to American casual dining restaurant TGI Fridays.

Build a cheap home gym

There is a reason every good Rocky (1976 to 2006) movie has a jump-rope scene: It is an incredible workout. A US$10 (S$13) jump rope might be the single best cheap workout tool there is.

Try a Tabata-style routine, with 20 seconds on and 10 seconds off, and see if you can go for 10 or 20 minutes. For more upper body work, try weighted ropes of between 230g and 455g to start.

Those who do not feel comfortable jumping can let the rope hit the ground and then step over it, said Ms Gwen Gates, a coach at the Logan Health Medical Fitness Center in Kalispell, Montana.

“If you are someone who’s maybe recovering from an injury,” she said, “it’s going to get your heart rate up, because you’re taking your knees up.”

Battle ropes are another great way to work the arms and get some cardiovascular work with little risk of injury. And while most tend to start at US$50, nothing is stopping you from making one with supplies from the hardware store.

If you want to do bench presses, dead lifts and curls, but do not have space or the budget for barbells, consider using exercise bands, such as the ones physical therapists often use.

A full set of exercise bands should not cost more than US$20, and the only limit to the ways of using them is your imagination.

Mr Bryant likes to put a set around his ankles or knees, then put his hands on the floor with another band around his wrists, and walk sideways, stretching them as he goes.

“I start everybody off with the yellows because the yellows are typically the easiest ones,” he said, adding: “You want to be able to move.”

Kettlebell workouts are popular these days, but the weights tend to be pricey. So, Mr Brad Roy, who works with Ms Gates and is the editor of the American College of Sports Medicine’s Health & Fitness Journal, suggested medicine balls instead.

They start at around US$20 and can be used in similarly dynamic moves, though it is important to get instructions from a trainer to avoid injury.

Ms Gates suggested picking an amount of weight that you can hold in front of you during a squat. Once you feel comfortable with that, try squatting while holding the ball above your head.

Up your walking game

Want to get back to basics? Try an approach that dates back to the Ice Age. Walking or running with weight on one’s back, an increasingly popular form of exercise now called rucking, is one of the easiest ways to build strength, stamina and muscular endurance while taking the dog for a stroll or buying a loaf of bread.

Fancy rucking backpacks start at around US$100, but you can achieve the same thing by putting a few books or water bottles in whatever backpack you have.

If you happen to find some pull-up bars or other exercise tools on your walk, leave the backpack on while you use them.

If not, look for a playground. Mr Bryant said there are hundreds of exercises you can do at a playground – from step-ups to tricep dips.

If you do not have a playground, he said, try walking backwards up a slope. This will target your quads, and some studies suggest it may improve balance, stability and overall fitness more than walking forward.

When you imagine a chiselled athlete, a bird-watcher is probably not the first person you think of. But you might be surprised.

It is not that bird-watching is harder than walking, but that you end up walking longer when you are looking to pick up that last warbler for your list. It is more fun if you have a pair of binoculars, but that is not a requirement.

Do not like birds? Grab a Frisbee and try some disc golf. Or consider working a shadowboxing routine into your walk.

You could also try walking with poles, Mr Roy suggested. These start at around US$25 and make great exercise for the arms and shoulders as you push down on them and propel yourself forward, he said.

They are just as useful on a pavement as they are on a trail. Make sure they are adjusted so that your forearms are parallel to the ground and your elbows are at a 90-degree angle.

For people who are considering walking with a cane, Mr Roy often recommends trying one or two trekking poles instead, which encourage better posture than leaning over a cane.

Lastly, he added, if you want to pick up the pace and have access to a tennis court, you could try pickleball, which starts at US$30 for paddles and balls.

Among older adults especially, pickleball builds hand-eye coordination and improves balance, to say nothing of the fitness benefits, he said. “It’s an awesome activity.” NYTIMES