Fitness for free

Don’t fall into the trap of using a lack of funds as an excuse for a lack of personal fitness. Some of the most effective exercises are those that won’t cost you a cent. Good health, which is largely achieved through regular exercise, should always be a top priority, for several reasons: it’ll cut down your long-term medical costs; you’ll cope with stress and anxiety far more competently; you’ll be an excellent example to your kids and you’ll have more energy and vigour to cope with life’s many demands.

Here are two free exercises guaranteed to get your blood pumping.

Take to the water

Swimming is one of the few physical activities that has no age restriction and can be done, in some form or other, by just about anybody. And it’s fun!

Just a few of the health benefits of swimming include improved muscle strength and endurance and a stronger cardiovascular and respiratory system. It’s also an excellent medium for rehabilitation of injuries and it’s very gentle on the body’s joints, making it the ideal activity for people with arthritis, musculoskeletal problems or obesity. Swimming works the whole body, improving posture and flexibility, and it’s very effective for weight loss. Freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke work almost every muscle group, and are therefore excellent for all-over body conditioning.

If you’re a beginner, it’s important to start slowly. Try to swim for 10 minutes, ultimately working up to a 30-minute session a few times a week. Do a warm-up and cool-down activity before and after and challenge yourself in terms of distance and speed during your workout. You can also do certain strength training exercises in the pool. Try walking or jogging across the width of the pool, with your body about waist deep in the water. If you don’t have access to a private pool, consider joining your public swimming pool where rates are usually very reasonable. Swimming can also be a very social sport if you select aqua-classes or training squads. All you’ll need to get started is a swimsuit, a swimming cap if you’re using a public pool and goggles to protect your eyes from chemicals in the water.

Resistance training

To supplement your cardiovascular activity, try doing some resistance training twice a week for about 20 minutes per session. Resistance training can help you to build a beautifully strong and toned body and, because muscle burns more calories at rest than fat, it will help your body to burn fat. Resistance training is also one of the best exercises for promoting bone density.

You can do some simple resistance activities in the comfort of your home. Start off by doing one set of 12 repetitions of lunges, squats, step-ups, abdominal crunches, push-ups (on your knees if you’re not up to full push-ups), tricep dips (using a chair against a wall) and bicep curls, using light dumbbells or even a can of soup in each hand. In time you can increase this to three sets of 12 repetitions. These exercises, combined with cardiovascular workouts, will see you well on your way to a healthy, fit body.