Want to get fit but can’t afford the gym? Here are some expert tips on getting active at home

Watching the Olympics and Paralympics has inspired a number of Australians to get more active. But with the cost of living rising, not everyone can afford a gym membership.

The good news is that there’s a variety of free and low-cost ways to increase your activity levels, including setting up a ‘do it yourself’ (DIY) home gym and program.

We asked the experts for some tips on what equipment you need, and how to get started.

What equipment do I need to do strength-based training at home?

Ange Drake runs 23W, a women’s-only strength and conditioning gym in the inner north of Melbourne.

She says it’s possible to put together a “really great training program with very minimal equipment”.

In terms of a bare minimum set-up, Drake suggests starting with the following, which can be feasibly bought for approximately $50.

• An exercise mat
• A set of resistance bands
• A sturdy step
• Basic hand weights, e.g. 2kg, 6kg and 10kg dumbbells OR (if these are unaffordable) start with household items like canned goods
• A foam roller
• A sturdy chair OR (if you can afford it) an adjustable exercise bench
• A skipping rope

These items are all versatile enough to be used for a variety of purposes, while Drake says what is most important is being consistent.

“Where a lot of people fall over is that they make the investment into a really great home gym, use it a couple of times and then the motivation wears off,” she says.

Her advice is to start by building as much structure as possible into your routine.

“I advise booking exercise in, so actually physically put it in your diary, whether that’s an online calendar, or one on the fridge for your whole family to see,” Drake says.

“That’s important because you’re making a commitment to yourself that this is the time you’re going to practice the self-care that is physical activity.”

How to write an exercise program

Once you’ve got some basic equipment, you’re going to need an exercise program to follow.

For those who can afford it, Drake advises enlisting a personal trainer or exercise physiologist to help.

“They will be able to give you a well-balanced and structured program, with things you need to do as well as want to do, and make sure you are moving well,” she says.

“Having a coach will also help keep you accountable.”

Some gyms offer ‘hybrid’ memberships where you can access face-to-face coaching in the first instance, before following an assigned program via an app at home.

YouTube can also be a good resource, but Drake cautions that you cross-reference someone’s qualifications before taking their advice.

“Unfortunately, there are people in this space who promote fitness and nutritional advice that is not backed by science, and who make money off the vulnerabilities of others,” she says.

It is also possible to write your own program by keeping some basic principles in mind.

Hugh Mason, an exercise physiologist and strength and conditioning coach with North Melbourne’s AFLW team, advises targeting multiple muscle groups in a single session.

For example, a 30-minute program could incorporate exercises that build upper body, lower body and core strength.

Some examples include basic ‘body weight’ exercises like squats, push-ups and planks.

Mason advises doing both single and double limb exercises, as well as challenging your muscles to work in different directions.

“You can break exercises down in lots of ways,” he explains.

“So if you do something like a bench press, that’s an upper body ‘pushing’ exercise, whereas if you do a ‘row’ that’s a ‘pulling’ exercise.”

Single leg exercises, meanwhile, build ‘functional’ fitness.

“If you think about it, most things in life are done on one leg, like walking up stairs, running and jumping. So you could add in things like a lunge, or a split squat.”

For extra practical benefit, Mason also recommends a ‘carry’ exercise, which means walking while carrying a weight.

“That could mean carrying a weight in one hand, or even a shopping bag full of stuff above your head,” he says.

Cardiovascular or ‘aerobic’ exercise

A good home-based program should also supplement strength training with cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise.

These include popular options like walking, running, cycling and swimming.

No matter which you choose, pacing is key.

“I think because of social media, some people think it’s normal to just go and try to run 10km, or a marathon,” Mason says.

“That’s great, because people are getting into running. But if you haven’t done the appropriate training, it’s probably not going to go well.”

Up to a third of people who run, Mason says, drop out because of some type of injury. But this can be prevented with structured progression.

If you’d like to start running, he advises starting off with 30 seconds of walking, followed by 30 seconds of jogging.

“You can do a kilometre of that [30 seconds walking, 30 seconds jogging] for a week. Then you might add 200-300 meters per week, and build it out from there.”

You can also progress by doubling the amount you run, as opposed to walking.

“So instead of walking 100m and jogging for 50m, double the amount you run, and build up that way.

“It’s a gradual progression, where you’ll walk less and run more.”

It’s important, however, not to go too fast, too quickly.

“People get really keen, because they’re enjoying it,” he says.

“The endorphins are pumping and they start to feel good.

“But when you’re starting off, you probably want to have a day [of rest] in between whatever you’re doing.”

Drake agrees, adding that ‘more’ is not necessarily better when it comes to cardio.

If you’re time poor, she recommends a 10 or 20 minute HIIT session (high intensity interval training).

This could be done with something as simple as a skipping rope, starting with 20 seconds of skipping followed by 40 seconds of rest.

“If what you’re looking for is weight loss, we know that intensity over duration is key,” she says.

“So the idea is to work harder for short bursts of time, and then rest.

“I always say that a good work-out is one that happens, so you’re better off doing two or three 20-minute workouts a week than one 60-minute one that may or may not happen.”

When to progress your program, and why recovery is key

You will know that it’s time to ‘progress’ your exercise routine when something feels too easy.

As Mason puts it, you will eventually ‘outgrow’ an exercise because “the stimulus is the same as what it has been for a while.”

That’s when you can adapt exercises to make them harder, for example by adding extra weight, repetitions or sets, or challenging yourself to run faster or for longer.

“But the important thing is not to change too many things at once,” he says.

“So maybe don’t increase your running distance and pace at the same time, or your sets and reps at the same time.

“Once you tolerate one of those changes, that’s when you can make the other.”

Finally, it is important to remember that as you progress your exercise program, your need for ‘refuelling’ and recovery also increases.

Common recovery activities include yoga, massage, meditation, ice baths and saunas.

But if the idea of an ice bath makes you squirm, Mason has some reassurance.

“My advice is to do what makes you feel good, because recovery is as much psychological as it is physiological.

“If you don’t like ice baths, don’t do it, because it could make you stressed and have the opposite effect of what you’re looking for.

“If you want to go for a walk on the beach with your dog, or sit in the grass and read a book, that’s great. If that makes you feel good, that’s your recovery.”