By now we all know that exercise has many benefits and is a great thing to incorporate into your daily routine, but still, not everyone feels comfortable going to the gym and that’s totally ok.

If you’ve been finding yourself wanting to exercise but don’t want to dish up the cash for a gym membership, don’t worry, we know a couple of ways you can get your heart pumping in the city without fighting for the last treadmill at peak times in the gym – it’s just the worst, right?

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Image Source: @these_girls_run

Join a club

So often we see exercise clubs get a bad rep, but we’re here to debunk the myth and prove that going to clubs is, in fact, cool.

Joining a club is not only a great way to meet new people while getting a new skill out of it, but they’re also usually significantly cheaper than a gym membership, and some of the more lowkey ones are even free! Trust us, you’ve got nothing to lose so you may as well give one a go.

Image Source: @mcrwhls

Manchester Wheelers

If cycling is more up your street, Manchester Wheelers was established in 1883 and is still going strong with bike rides every week. Despite the club’s old age, members keep up with the times and the club is full of cyclists of all ages, so you’ll never feel out of place. Don’t feel like you have to commit straight away though, the club offers test rides, so you have time to decide if you want to become a full-time club member.

Image Source: @these_girls_run

These girls run

Although it’s only been a couple of months since the club was created, These Girls Run has become a go-to running club for over 1000 girls in Manchester! They call themselves the ‘safe, sweaty, supportive all-girl running & wellness club’ and they really are. No matter if you’re a first-timer or have been running since you could walk, the atmosphere at this club genuinely couldn’t be more supportive with no woman left behind.

With 1 – 2 runs a week and frequent socials, it’s the perfect place to get a sweat on and meet new friends, so make sure to join their Facebook group to get started.

Try a new form of exercise

When we think of exercising it’s easy for our minds to automatically go to cardio or weightlifting, but there are so many other forms of exercises out there that you can tap into. Here are some of our favourites that you can start doing at home.

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Calisthenics

You don’t need to weight lift to build muscle and strength and calisthenics is a great example of that. Requiring little to no equipment, callisthenics uses body weight to build functional, full-body muscle through exercises like push-ups and burpees that lead you to eventually doing handstand push-ups. Whether you’re doing it for the physical or health benefits, it’s an easy form of exercise to start doing at home and if you stick to it, you’ll reap the rewards.

Image Source: Photo by Nature Zen on Unsplash

Mat Pilates

Pilates has been rising to fame recently with everyone raving about its benefits, but no one talks about how expensive and intimidating it can be to keep going to a class a couple of times a week. Luckily, mat pilates is a great alternative to reformer pilates, and there are tons of free YouTube and Google workouts that you can follow at home. The only thing you’ll need to start is a mat, and even if you don’t have that, we’re sure a rug or blanket will work just fine.

Find one thing you really enjoy

The hardest part about exercising? Sticking to it.

We’ve been there, you get a burst of motivation and go heavy on all things exercise, one week passes, and you’re slumped on the couch not wanting to do it anymore. Trust us, we get it. This is why we recommend finding something you really enjoy doing so you don’t have to rely on motivation, but instead just do it for fun.

Image Source: Photo by Marvin Cors on Unsplash

Skipping

Let’s take it all the way back to your childhood, and we’d bet on the fact you use to have a skipping rope as a kid, so why not tap into it again? A few minutes skipping outside is so good for your health and well-being and it’s so easy to slip into your daily routine – no commute to the gym, and no anxiety of the other gym goers, just you and your skipping rope in some open space in the city. Go on, add that skipping rope to your basket.

Image Source: exercise.co.uk

Hula Hooping

If you’re looking for a snatched waist, strong back, and healthy heart, hula hooping could be your new thing. Hooping for 30 minutes a day has more benefits than we can count so we just want to know why more people aren’t doing it. Seriously, there are big hoops, small hoops, and weighted hoops, the choice is huge. Why not give it a go and maybe you’ll surprise yourself with how enjoyable it is?

Whatever route you decide to take in your no-gym exercise journey, we really hope it works out for you and we’d love to hear about it. We’re always about on Instagram to chat so pop us a DM.