I can’t remember what we were paying for gym memberships, but its been awhile since we had them.
We now hit the great outdoors to get our fresh air and exercise. We reside in a neighborhood great for runners/joggers/walkers. There is a nice little park and not a lot of car traffic so we can run and exercise freely. We do have to watch for other runners/walkers.
When I used to go to the gym I disliked the treadmill because I felt like a lab rat running and getting nowhere. I was always cautious with the equipment I used because I didn’t want to end up with that stairmaster booty. I enjoy the physiques natural exercise develops, the gym equipment should be a supplement IMO. Gym equipment seems to focus on specific muscles and if you aren’t very careful- i.e. have a trainer, its easy to get the gym body. Am I the only one that notices a difference in an athletes physique and a gym body?
We save gym fees, travel time and gas by working out in the neighborhood. We get outdoors where our feet take us somewhere and where we can breathe the real air (we run early before the smog sets in). When I lived in the Bay Area a gym was a a bit of a neccessity because I didn’t have anyone to run with. Wild cats have been spotted in my Oakland neighborhood, and I’m not willing to risk it. My mom and I used to have great fun and get good exercise walking up the hill and around the neighborhood, but my feet wanted to run. My mother might walk fast but she wasn’t willing to run up those hills. Since she lost me as walking partner, she put a treadmill on her backyard patio. She doesn’t get to travel on her walks, but she does get to exercise outside.
I miss those morning walks, but I enjoy running with Mr. A. We mix in various exercises with our running. We will do squats going up the hill. Mr. A. will give me a head start running up and he will drop and do push ups and then start his run. It requires creativity to get all the muscles, change up the exercise routine, and maintain good cardio, so it stays fun and interesting.
I’ve noticed that most cities in CA. have parks designed for running and those parks have areas where the city builds in equipment so you can stop and do exercises. They even have pictures of the exercises that can be done at each point. I’d imagine other cities do similiar things and its just a matter of locating those parks.
We did our own version of a cost-benefit analysis and determined that the gym could go. I wouldn’t suggest cancelling gym memberships in places that get super hot, humid or cold. No need saving a few dollars to just to get heat stroke or frost bite. Gyms are also a good place to socialize and I wouldn’t recommend a woman go running alone. The gym can be better even if the result is a gym body.