So lately it seems like many TV shows, magazines, newspapers, and websites all send you the same message: “be physically active in order to grow strong and healthy”.
It’s not that they are nagging you to exercise; it’s that they’re trying to give you a head-start into a healthy mindset and lifestyle!
But between classes, lunches, studies, friends, parties, and naps, who has time to work out?
Even if you play a sport with your school team, what happens during the holidays? Do you just stop completely and then have a hard time catching up when school resumes?
How about if you just feel like working up a sweat, not for winning? Shouldn’t you be able to take part in an individual and non-competitive physical activity whenever you feel like it?
Or what if you just feel like being alone with your thoughts and exercising with your music blasting loudly? Sometimes we all need some alone time, right?
Here are 5 simple ideas to try out without needing to join a gym!
1. Use free fitness corners at parks, nature reserves, or HDB common areas
Some of us are looking for a gym experience that focuses on exercise and the use of equipment, not on the hassle of memberships, locker rooms, or loud music.
Thankfully, most town councils, parks, and nature reserves around Singapore offer fully-equipped fitness corners that are completely free of charge!
Most of them will include everything you need to exercise alone or with friends: balance beam, chest press, leg press, pull up bars, sit-up bench, and stretch bars are just some of the exercise stations you can find!
Just make sure you know what you’re doing so that you don’t injure yourself when handling the equipment!
Here’s a video showing some ideas of how to use this free equipment:
2. Walk, jog, run around the island
Whether alone or with a friend, walking and jogging are great ways to exercise!
Your heart rate is increased, all your muscles are active, and you get to enjoy the peace and quiet that go with your concentration on physical effort.
Get your favourite music playlist on your portable music player or grab a friend you need to catch up with and choose a hiking/jogging trail!
Walkjogrun.net has a list of some 130 trails you can use for your jogging routine. CNNgo.com has also compiled the 10 best places to go running. Meanwhile, Everytrail.com gives you the best spots to walk and hike along lush natural settings.
If you’re more of a city person and you want to explore and discover new urban spots while getting fit, Joggingroutes.org gives you some pointers on where to run for unique Singapore sightseeing. The heritage trails are also a good way of walking around while discovering new spots.
3. Rollerblade along East Coast
If jogging or walking is not your thing, then maybe you’ll be more at ease with a pair of wheels under your feet!
Whether you’ve been dying to learn or whether you’re already pretty smooth, roller-blading is the perfect group activity and it can be done in many places.
A simple and affordable way of learning is to round up your friends and get the expert of the bunch to teach the beginners!
If all of your friends are pretty much experts, then set yourselves some challenges such as obstacle courses or friendly races! Inlineculture.com has a great calendar of events listing individual or group participation.
4. Skateboard around Youth Park
Skateboarding used to be seen as a sport reserved for daredevils, but its artistic side as well as its athletic qualities have made it ever-so popular.
Of course, this is still a difficult and potentially painful activity, but the rewards are truly AMAZING!
Kick flips, Shove its, grabs, slides, 360s… all of these tricks are within your reach if you arm yourself with both patience and prowess.
Singapore has many skateboarding communities online that can give you tips on where to start, point you to the best places to practise, the basic safety instructions, or how to achieve impressive tricks!
In the meantime, watch one of our favourite skate videos:
5. Follow free Yoga lessons on YouTube
Yoga is the perfect workout activity: it’s easy to learn, it requires little or no equipment, and it soothes your soul while toning your body!
It’s no surprise that it’s been around for more than 3,000 years!
When properly and regularly practised, Yoga strengthens your cardiovascular system, tones and stretches your muscles, and improves your mental fitness.
But not everyone can afford fancy and expensive lessons with Yoga gurus!
Thankfully, many Yoga instructors upload full lessons on YouTube, so that more and more people benefit from its great effects.
Here are a couple of lessons, but there are many more out there. Look for the Yoga instructor who best fits your needs!
As you can see from all these ideas, working out doesn’t require a lot of money, space, or effort. All it requires is patience, determination, and a little imagination!
We covered some interesting ideas, but you probably have many more! Share them with us in the comments below! You can also give us your feedback on Facebook and Twitter.
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