7 tips to get fit for less in 2019
Conor Dever
Staff Writer

The fitness industry has been growing year on year as we all start to pay more attention to our health. But the cost of training can make not just our muscles sore, but our wallets as well.

After indulging in the Christmas season, many of you will be dusting off your gear bags and making your way to crowded gyms. However getting in shape can cost a pretty penny, between gym membership, gear, supplements and classes.

So here's a list of things we think can help you save when working out in 2019.

1) Outdoor gyms

You might have noticed strange looking green machines popping up at the sides of parks and green spaces. These are outdoor gyms and they only seem to be growing in popularity as more and more councils around the country are installing them.

It might not be the ideal situation trying to squeeze out a set in the pouring rain, but you really can’t beat the price. And you'll get some fresh air to help clear the head! 

2) Cycle to work

You can burn as much as 650 calories by cycling for one hour. The rough guideline intake of calories for an adult woman is 2,000 calories (2,500 for a man), so let's say you live a 30-minute cycle from work, you could be burning around a third of a day's calories by cycling to and from work everyday.

Plus you can lounge in that smug superior feeling that you're helping the environment while exercising.

3) Home workouts

If prisoners can get shredded in their cells you really have no excuse. You can do calisthenics at home which gives you that carved, wiery build of a mountain climber.

Even spending 20-25 minutes in the morning doing some push-ups, some split leg squats, and maybe a few pull-ups will get you results.

If you do this every morning, you won't be long seeing the results, all while spending money only on (an optional) pull-up bar.

4) Join a team

A lot of us suffer with maintaining focus and staying motivated when we work out, and one easy fix for this is to start playing a sport. This is especially true for the competitive ones.

Whether it’s rugby, GAA, soccer, badminton, you name it, there usually is a team training nearby that will charge relatively little if anything to participate.

5) Run

This one is pretty simple. It costs you nothing to put on your runners and hit the pavement. There are some good coaching apps for running that can get you off of the couch and into the game. So what are you waiting for?

6) Pick a smaller gym

It can be easy to join the shiny new gym down the road that just opened that has a sauna, pool, steam room, and massage rooms. But if you don't use all the snazzy facilitles there's no point in paying for them. 

Smaller gyms which have fewer facilities have to spend less on gear and can often offer you more competitive rates.

So have a look around and see if there's a cheaper option nearby and give it a try. It might have everything you need, minus the crowd.

7) Use technology

There really is an app for everything. Whether you're trying to go from your couch to running a marathon, or are trying to learn some new yoga poses or boxing techniques, technology is your friend.

Use the internet, especially YouTube, and your app store to check out what your device can help you with for getting fit.  

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What are your own tips for getting fit for less this year?

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