If you are trying to get in shape why spend upwards of eight hundred dollars on a gym membership? Going to a gym regularly takes an awful lot of commitment and waking up in the wee hours of the morning. Besides, if you just want to get in shape, there are numerous things to around the house or neighborhood that will whip you into shape in no time.

In reality, there are many downsides to attending the gym. First of all, gym memberships are very expensive. Most memberships cost anywhere from $40-100 a month. This is absurd. Also, having a gym membership means commuting to and from the gym. Going to the gym is not as easy as dropping to the floor and doing some crunches during a commercial break or going for a morning jog from the house. Another issue with the gym is that the people who attend are already in shape making those who are out of shape feel ridiculed and judged. To some, going to the gym makes them feel very insecure about themselves. With this said, working out at home is essentially better in every way.

To those starting out and getting into shape, some of the best things one can do is start working out with their body. This is obvious of as one can’t work out without their body but the best way to begin is to exercise using their body weight. The benefit of using only one’s body weight to exercise is that the body uses multiple muscles to perform actions. Going to the gym and doing bicep curls only targets the biceps but staying home and doing 20 pushups every commercial break targets the biceps, triceps, and shoulders.

The most important thing to consider when working out is know your body. This means warming up and stretching and knowing the limit to what you can do is important. Before the actual workout begins, make sure to get a warm-up in. To some this could be a 15 minute jog around the neighborhood or maybe a half an hour long bike ride. Once you are warmed up, you can begin to work out. Body weight exercises can include anything from push ups, to squats, abdominal workouts, and aerobic exercise. A plan for beginners would probably look something like; 20 body weight weight squats, 10 push ups, 10 walking lunges, 10 dumbbell rows (using a milk jug or something of the sort), a 15 second plank, and 30 jumping jacks. Repeat this workout as many times as it seems fit. Eventually when things become too easy it would be best to add different workouts to increase the difficulty and engage different muscles.

With the internet so readily available almost everywhere, going to the gym is almost outdated. If you are willing to spend a couple bucks there are numerous workout programs that can be bought like P90X or other things. These programs, while not getting you shredded like the gym are a great way to start for those who want to begin working out. For someone who doesn’t want to spend money at the gym, bodyweight exercises are the way to go.