Fitness on a budget
Moving away from home to start
or return to college can be tough.
You're breaking a routine you've
built up all summer, and many
times you don't know how or
where to pick up those routines in
your new home. If you're looking
to get active, finances can also hinder
getting back to your old routine,
because not every student can
afford a gym membership when
costs like tuition, food, bills and
books that get in the way! Fear not,
though, because there are many
ways to get active in London without
spending too much money.
A lot of people already participate in different activities, but don't know where to pick them up in London. If you're into biking, skateboarding or running, there are different options in London to get your fix.
If you're a runner, the obvious cheap way to get going is to figure out a route around your house and start running. Apps like MapMyRun can use GPS to track your run or plan a route, and let you know how far you've travelled. If you're more interested in running with people or training to run a race, the Running Room (620 Richmond St.) offers running clinics starting with their Learn to Run. While there is a cost, it is a little bit less than most gym memberships, and it's a good deal if you don't go to the gym frequently but want something to commit to a few times a week.
If biking is more your thing, there are a number of bike paths in London. Head to the City of London's website, london.ca, to find a PDF of different bike and running paths, as well as what roads are designated as having bike lanes (tinyurl.com/ldnbikepaths2012).
The website also has a list of the skateboard parks in town. If you're interested in skateboarding to stay active, the closest skate parks are Stronach, which is right down the street from Fanshawe, and Carling Heights, which is near Oxford and Adelaide.
If you'd rather not leave the house to exercise, there are still ideas for you! Technology is a wonderful thing, and it makes getting active in the privacy of your own home easy. First stop: YouTube. If you thought YouTube was just for watching One Direction videos, think again! It's packed with exercise videos of all different types, but the most popular are the Zumba videos. Some are one-song routines, some are full classes, and there are many to choose from. Another great place for follow-along videos is in the podcast section of iTunes. The most prominent videos there are pilates and yoga, and many are updated weekly so you can try something new every week.
Not everyone is looking for your typical cardio workout, though. If you're interested in team sports, Fanshawe Athletics has a great intramural program for people at any skill level. More information can be found online or by stopping by the Athletics desk in J Building.
Overall, there are great ways to stay active now that you're back at school. Just because you're on a budget doesn't mean you have to cut out your wellbeing, so hopefully these ideas can get you started on your way to an active year!
A lot of people already participate in different activities, but don't know where to pick them up in London. If you're into biking, skateboarding or running, there are different options in London to get your fix.
If you're a runner, the obvious cheap way to get going is to figure out a route around your house and start running. Apps like MapMyRun can use GPS to track your run or plan a route, and let you know how far you've travelled. If you're more interested in running with people or training to run a race, the Running Room (620 Richmond St.) offers running clinics starting with their Learn to Run. While there is a cost, it is a little bit less than most gym memberships, and it's a good deal if you don't go to the gym frequently but want something to commit to a few times a week.
If biking is more your thing, there are a number of bike paths in London. Head to the City of London's website, london.ca, to find a PDF of different bike and running paths, as well as what roads are designated as having bike lanes (tinyurl.com/ldnbikepaths2012).
The website also has a list of the skateboard parks in town. If you're interested in skateboarding to stay active, the closest skate parks are Stronach, which is right down the street from Fanshawe, and Carling Heights, which is near Oxford and Adelaide.
If you'd rather not leave the house to exercise, there are still ideas for you! Technology is a wonderful thing, and it makes getting active in the privacy of your own home easy. First stop: YouTube. If you thought YouTube was just for watching One Direction videos, think again! It's packed with exercise videos of all different types, but the most popular are the Zumba videos. Some are one-song routines, some are full classes, and there are many to choose from. Another great place for follow-along videos is in the podcast section of iTunes. The most prominent videos there are pilates and yoga, and many are updated weekly so you can try something new every week.
Not everyone is looking for your typical cardio workout, though. If you're interested in team sports, Fanshawe Athletics has a great intramural program for people at any skill level. More information can be found online or by stopping by the Athletics desk in J Building.
Overall, there are great ways to stay active now that you're back at school. Just because you're on a budget doesn't mean you have to cut out your wellbeing, so hopefully these ideas can get you started on your way to an active year!
