“You don’t have to go to the gym to get some exercise.”
What’s the trendy new exercise craze? According to a USA Today story, stair climbing, a.k.a. walking (or running) up and down lots of stairs:
Stair climbing is one of the best ways to strengthen the glutes and leg muscles, according to the American Council on Exercise. It’s a great cardiovascular workout and burns more calories than jogging and walking.
It also doesn’t require a gym membership, though you could certainly pay for one if you prefer the stairmaster to actual stairs. They do the same darn thing, of course, though one is free and the other is not.
In the video at the above link, Dr. Joel M. Press, medical director of the Spine and Sports Rehabilitation Center, in Chicago, is the authority quoted at the top of this post. Press demonstrates a few simple, no-gear-required, no-gym-required exercises. He also offers a rather obvious, but much-overlooked tip: No one ever mandated that you have to pay money to exercise.
If you want to get in shape without spending a lot of money, don’t think of gym as in the one with membership fees, think gym as in the simple and solid, no-frills exercises kids were once expected to do in high school gym class. Getting in shape comes down to moving your body regularly and vigorously, and no one says you have to do so in a gym while paying for the privilege.