How to Exercise Without Joining a Gym

For some people, the gym is expensive or inconvenient. Others don’t like working out in front of a crowd. No matter your reason for not wanting to go to the gym, there are plenty of exercises you can do at home. Walk, jog, dance, or play sports to get your heart rate up for cardio, and use bodyweight exercises for strength training. Even someone with a busy schedule can find room for exercise without heading to the gym.

EditSteps

EditGetting a Cardio Workout

Go for a walk or jog. Walking and jogging are 2 totally free ways to get in some cardio without having to hit the gym floor. If you’re just starting to build a fitness routine, try taking a brisk walk for 20-30 minutes a day, 3-4 days a week. If you don’t find that you break a sweat from a brisk walk, increase your pace and jog instead.^[1]
- Walking and jogging are endlessly customizable to fit different schedules, fitness levels, and fitness goals. Vary the terrain and the pace to make your walk or jog more challenging.
- Take a hike in a natural area like a park or forest if you have some extra time. Hiking is both more physically challenging and a great activity to do with friends or family.
Bike during your commute. Biking is a low-impact cardio exercise that you can work into your daily routine. Bike to work or school if it’s close enough. If you can’t add a bike ride to your commute, take 30 minutes and go for a ride in your neighborhood, or use your bike to run errands such as grocery shopping.^[2]
- You can use biking to supplement your other exercises, or you can use it as your primary exercise. If you want to use your bike for daily exercise, try to do at least 30 minutes of active peddling at least 3-4 times a week.
Join an intramural sports team. If you don’t want to go to the gym but you still want group or social exercise, look for a local intramural sports team. Many areas have teams for any sport from soccer and basketball to dodgeball and even quidditch. Check with your local recreation centers or look online for teams that interest you.^[3]
- Social media is often a great place to find intramural sports groups and teams or look for informal pickup games in your area.
Sign up for affordable exercise programs at your community center. If you aren’t into team sports, check your local recreation and community centers for affordable exercise classes like dance and yoga. These often cost much less than a gym membership but generally offer the same level of instruction and rigor.
Follow along with an exercise video. You can find exercise videos from most online streaming services, as well as in DVD and VHS form. You can find videos for many forms of aerobic exercise, from dance workouts like Zumba to interval training. These videos allow you to get a rigorous, structured workout in your own home.^[4]
- Different video producers will have different styles. Try a few different videos from different producers and creators to find the best match for you.
- You can find exercise videos for free on sites like YouTube if you don’t want to pay for the video or streaming service. You can also borrow an exercise video or DVD from your local library.

EditPracticing Strength Training at Home

Practice a bodyweight exercise routine. You can find a wide variety of workout plans online that use bodyweight exercises to target different muscle groups or areas of the body. Use exercises like push-ups, triceps dips, squats, crunches, planks, lunges, and bridges to help you build your strength without any fancy equipment. To get started, try a once-daily routine like:^[5]
- Walk or jog for 5 minutes to warm up.
- 20 squats
- 10 push ups
- 20 lunges (10 on each leg)
- 10 tricep dips
- 10 crunches
- 30-second plank
- 30-second glute bridges
Use household objects to add weight to exercises. If you don’t feel like you’re getting enough resistance from standard bodyweight exercises, use household objects to increase the intensity. For example, you can use a gallon of milk or a heavy book to add more weight to your squats. Hold the book close to your chest as you squat to add resistance to this bodyweight exercise.^[6]
- You can also use household objects to try exercises that typically require weights, like rows and bicep curls.
Invest in a set of dumbbells or resistance bands. Both dumbbells and resistance bands can be found affordably from most sporting goods stores. Resistance bands can be used for exercises like rows, bicep curls, arm raises, donkey kicks, and presses. Dumbbells are versatile and let you tackle many of the exercises you’d find in your gym’s weight room.^[7]
- For curls, for example, loop the band under your foot. Grasp the band in a closed fist. Hold your arm so that your elbow is against your side, and your forearm is facing up toward the ceiling. Bring your forearm up toward your shoulder, then slowly lower it down to your starting position. The band will provide resistance as you lift.
- You will need different levels of resistance and different weight for different exercises. Try to invest in a set of dumbbells or resistance bands rather than getting just one.
- You don’t need both dumbbells and resistance bands. Either one will be beneficial. However, the different tools work different body parts in different ways, so if you have the resources, getting a set of each may be beneficial.

EditFitting Exercise into a Busy Routine

Increase the intensity of your exercises. If you can’t find more time to exercise, focus on increasing your intensity instead. Walk up a hill instead of on a level path, or practice high-intensity interval training (HIIT) instead of your regular daily workout to get a greater impact from the same amount of time.^[8]
Use your breaks to get in some cardio. Take 15-20 minutes during your lunch break to take a walk around your block or go for a short bike ride to a new lunch spot. Even small amounts of exercise can add up, so use your breaks to get out and get active.^[9]
- Exercising during your breaks also has the advantage of getting you away from your desk. It can help you clear your head and get your mind off your work for a few minutes.
Go dancing for your night out. If you were planning a night out, combine your fun and your cardio and go dancing at a local dance club. Just because you’re out enjoying yourself doesn’t mean that you’re not getting exercise. The more you move and shake on the floor, the more exercise you’re getting.^[10]
- If dance clubs aren’t your scene, make a date night or a friend’s night out by going to a dance class or lesson. You can easily find groups for swing dancing, ballroom dancing, hip-hop, lyrical dance, and many other styles.
Do bodyweight exercises during commercial breaks. Make the most of your TV or streaming time by doing a set of bodyweight exercises every time a commercial comes on. Do 10 pushups, squats, or hold a 30-second plank every time your show takes a break. Resistance training doesn’t have to be done all at the same time to be effective.^[11]
- For a plank, lie on your stomach with your legs together. Put your palms flat on the ground next to your chest and hold your elbows in against your sides. Tuck your toes, and push your body up until your arms are fully extended. Engage your core and focus on keeping your spine in a straight line. Hold this position for 30 seconds.
- To do squats, stand up and sit back down as many times as you can during the commercial break.

EditTips

Avoid gimmicky exercise gear that you won't realistically use.
Try to find a friend to exercise with. You can motivate one another. Comradery or friendly competition can be a good thing.
If you tend to procrastinate about exercise, remember that even doing small amounts of exercise throughout the day will benefit you. Look for windows when you can exercise, such as during a commercial break and do something that is easy for you, such as dancing around the living room or walking in place. Don’t worry about the amount or intensity at first. Just focus on doing something.

EditWarnings

Make sure to practice proper form to prevent physical injury or pain.
Check with your doctor before starting any new fitness program.
Remember to always increase your activity gradually to warm up your muscles. Do 3 to 5 minutes of a less intense form of the type of exercise you will be doing, such as walking if you plan to go for a jog. Then, stretch your muscles after your workout. Hold each of the stretches you do for 15 to 30 seconds and breathe deeply to relax into each stretch.

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EditSources and Citations

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