[C.Moon]

So Summertime is here and I have absolutely zero money. So I have decided the best way to spend this time will be to dedicate myself to exercise.
The main problem is however, that I have absolutely no amount of money so I cannot join the gym (not that it is a necessity), cannot go swimming or buy any new equipment.
I am not especially overweight, eat a balanced diet, have an average fitness level and I run 3 miles twice a week at the moment. The only "equipment" I have to work with are running trainers, a bike which is old as f*** and not designed for long distance/hills etc. I have no weights.
I was hoping some people who are more knowledgeable in this area would be able to give me some advice on how to effectively work out without spending any money/buying new equipment.

[katehlouise]

You don't need a gym!

Google YAYOG (you are your own gym) - Lots of body weight exercises for you to do. Also, you can use waterbottles/heavy bags etc for weights!
And I would start running - it's awesome :3

[whizz-kid]

lift rice bags and do body wright excercises

[Jadelyndsey]

-Bump up your mileage. Do 5 miles each run, 4 times per week instead of 2.
-Speed walk. Do 30 minutes before breakfast of speed walking with your abdomen pulled in, engaging your core as well as your legs and bum.
-Mix it up with callisthenics. Start off by doing sit-ups, and do as many as you can and then switch to push ups and do the same. Repeat.
-Lift large bottles of oil or a heavy bag of shopping (shopping bag with half a dozen tins of beans in it or something) and squat with the shopping bag held straight in front of you.

Use the things around you, and see if you feel a burn whilst experimenting with them is the best piece of advice to follow I think!

[PerArduaAdAstra]

Do push-ups - lots of them.

[xoxAngel_Kxox]

Running, body weight exercises (eg push ups, pull ups, sit ups, crunches, planks), cycling, swimming, skipping. There are lots of things you can do on a tight budget!

[Dimples18]

(Original post by C.Moon)
So Summertime is here and I have absolutely zero money. So I have decided the best way to spend this time will be to dedicate myself to exercise.
The main problem is however, that I have absolutely no amount of money so I cannot join the gym (not that it is a necessity), cannot go swimming or buy any new equipment.
I am not especially overweight, eat a balanced diet, have an average fitness level and I run 3 miles twice a week at the moment. The only "equipment" I have to work with are running trainers, a bike which is old as f*** and not designed for long distance/hills etc. I have no weights.
I was hoping some people who are more knowledgeable in this area would be able to give me some advice on how to effectively work out without spending any money/buying new equipment.

I'm assuming you have an ipod, go on to the app store, and type in Nike Training. It is free and is soo good! I am making progress on my fitness, and you certainly feel the benefits! Try it and see how it goes Hope i helped.

[laura1234]

Get running up and down the stairs.

[KenGosgrove]

(Original post by laura1234)
Get running up and down the stairs.

Don't do this.

[SEHughes]

Ross Enamait is your man for training with minimal and/or home-made equipment.

[Weeves]

Running is a great way to keep fit, not only does it keep you fit but it's mentally strengthening also, granted the running trainers can be pretty costly these days, but as you say you've already got some, so I suggest you go running more for sure!

I know you have no money, but loads of gyms and pools do some amazing special offers over the summer holidays, for example, my local gym costs £3.50 per visit and the pool is £4.00. However, at the moment they are doing a special deal in which you pay £22 and get to go to the gym or pool as much as you want for one month! So, maybe if you could borrow some money or do a few chores for somebody, you could get a good deal at a local pool or gym.

Another thing to do is use your resources! One great way to make a home made weight is by using a bag and putting books in it, it's great because you can decide how much weight you want to lift simply by adding or taking away a book or two from the bag. Similarly, any kind of heavy objects in and around the house could be used!

Finally, there's loads of work out routines you can do without needing any equipment at all such as push ups, sit ups and so on!

[C.Moon]

Cool, great ideas thanks everyone!

[boba]

running,
body weight exercises - you could probably find videos on youtube to tell you exactly what to do
exercise videos - again youtube
do you have a skipping rope? - if not you can always do the action and just imagine the rope (as stupid as that sounds)
if you live in a hilly place you could go for a hike.
if you say you can't do long distance bikerides you could do short sprints on it?

[Vixen47]

(Original post by C.Moon)
So Summertime is here and I have absolutely zero money. So I have decided the best way to spend this time will be to dedicate myself to exercise.
The main problem is however, that I have absolutely no amount of money so I cannot join the gym (not that it is a necessity), cannot go swimming or buy any new equipment.
I am not especially overweight, eat a balanced diet, have an average fitness level and I run 3 miles twice a week at the moment. The only "equipment" I have to work with are running trainers, a bike which is old as f*** and not designed for long distance/hills etc. I have no weights.
I was hoping some people who are more knowledgeable in this area would be able to give me some advice on how to effectively work out without spending any money/buying new equipment.

I'm currently working on this. It's essentially a compilation of the vast majority of things that I've used in the past to help me go from a size 16 to a size 10 without using a gym or fancy, schmancy equipment.

[xoxAngel_Kxox]

(Original post by KenGosgrove)
Don't do this.

Why not? Using the stairs is brilliant cardiovascular exercise. I do it a lot when I don't fancy running outside.

[TZ421]

(Original post by xoxAngel_Kxox)
Why not? Using the stairs is brilliant cardiovascular exercise. I do it a lot when I don't fancy running outside.

Incredibly dangerous. As you get faster the chances of slipping on a step increase. Where as running outside a slip or trip means you just kiss the dirt, a slip or a trip on stairs is potentially a broken neck. Plus it's annoying as hell for others in the house.

[Samz]

i just finished this,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Pc-NizMgg8

10 days on level 1, 10 days on level 2, 10 days on level 3. (they're all on youtube!) IT IS SO HARD. but the results are amazing! i am now planning to hunt down jillian michaels and marry her for being an absolute boss at weight loss dvds.

[Sazzy890]

Do more running, bodyweight exercises such as sit ups, lift heavy things like bags of sugar etc (as others have already said). Another thing you could try is dancing (I make up my own routines in my bedroom even if they are totally crap, I just enjoy doing it... no one else can see you so why not? ), could do step aerobics on your own stairs (just be careful).

[xoxAngel_Kxox]

(Original post by TZ421)
Incredibly dangerous. As you get faster the chances of slipping on a step increase. Where as running outside a slip or trip means you just kiss the dirt, a slip or a trip on stairs is potentially a broken neck. Plus it's annoying as hell for others in the house.

Perhaps I should have been more clear. I don't run up and down the whole set of stairs, rather I use the bottom stair to jog on and off, step ups I suppose, and you can go at whatever intensity you like.