Last updated : Wednesday, July 15, 2009

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Get Fit For Free

Hispanic couple riding bicycles

In today's tough economy, everyone is strapped for cash. From do-it-yourself pedicures to budget-friendly buys at the grocery store, there are plenty of ways to save a little extra dough without changing your lifestyle. But does the same go for your exercise routine? Can you still get a good workout without a pricey trainer and high-tech gym? I went to New York Sports Clubs' trainer and fitness expert, Ken Szekretar to find out how you can burn calories without spending a ton of cash!

The Recession Proof Workout:

- Explore the Outdoors. It's summertime, which means the weather is perfect for an outdoor workout. Go for a hike, walk around your neighborhood, take a run, go for a bike ride, or rollerblade. Choose whatever exercise suits you best!

- Dive in! Sometimes it's just too hot to exercise on dry land. The solution: take a dip. Water aerobics or swimming laps is a great way to burn calories. Many areas have public pools or beaches that will work for your water workout. Walking or running to these locations is also a great way to burn calories. Reward yourself by cooling off in the pool afterwards.

- Create Your Own Boot Camp. Many fitness centers are now offering boot camp style classes across the country. There is no reason why you can't create your own boot camp style workout. Jumping jacks, squats, lunges, running stairs, push-ups, shadow boxing, bench dips, squat thrusts, sprints and long distance running can all be done with no equipment. You can do these in your apartment, in a park, at your vacation home or hotel. Be creative and get motivated!

- Stay Slim by Staying In ... your apartment that is. Grab a few cans of food to use as 2 lb. weights for lateral raises to tone your shoulders. See that gallon milk jug? Fill it up and you have a 12 lb. weight to do bicep curls, tricep extensions, overhead presses, squats or any other exercise that you typically use dumbbells for. Fill it up halfway for a roughly 5lb. weight. Have a pet? Hug that bag of dog or cat food to your chest and do squats or lunges to tighten up your lower body. Have kids? Get them involved by giving them a hug and doing the same thing!

-  The Stairway to Staying Skinny. Try taking the stairs instead of the elevator. I have a very busy client who I train in her residential building. She doesn't always have time to do a cardio workout, so I told her to walk up and down to the gym to meet me. The gym is located in the basement, and she lives on the 23rd floor! At first she would take the elevator most of the way and do five to eight flights of walking. Soon it became half walking and half elevator, and now she gets a good 25 minute cardio workout by walking to and from our workout.

- Find a Free Gym: This time of year is one of the slowest for the health club industry. Many, if not all are offering free passes, classes and deals. So go ahead and take advantage of this opportunity!

For more great fitness tips from Ken check out The 10 Pound Takedown. And for more workout advice click on iMag's Wellness Section. 

Ken Szekretar Jr. has been a fitness professional for over 10 years. He has done everything from teaching group exercise and training clients one-on-one, to speaking at fitness conferences and appearing on television and the Internet to share his expertise. He's been fortunate enough to train clients from as young as 12 to as old as 72. Some of them were training for marathons or Ironman triathlons, while others needed help getting through their first workout ever. 

 

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