Can’t afford the gym? Here are some easy ways to get active at home

Published

1 year ago

October 12, 2024

Can’t afford the gym? Here are some easy ways to get 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.

When building a home gym start with the basics, like hand weights and a mat. (Pexels)

“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.”

Two women look at a phone while in gym gear. They are standing in front of a black roller door with white writing. — A personal trainer or exercise physiologist can help keep you accountable. (Supplied)

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.”

Full length of young woman doing warm up exercise. Woman is practising in living room. She is at home. — Once you’ve got your equipment, look at putting together an exercise program. (Getty Images: Morsa Images)

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.

A man and a woman stand on a grassed oval and talk to each other. — Hugh Mason is a strength and conditioning coach with North Melbourne’s AFLW team. (Supplied)

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.”

Three men crouch down on a gym floor and look at an iPad. — Exercises can be broken down into categories like push, pull and functional fitness. (Image Road Photography)

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.

A man runs on a beach in running gear. — A good home-based program should supplement strength training with some cardio, like walking, running or cycling.
(Supplied)

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.”

A woman running wearing a grey hoodie and grey pants. — If you want to run, Mason advises building up slowly from walking. (Pexels: Cottonbro)

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).

Two women in activewear touch hands while holding a plank position on yoga mats on a rooftop. — High intensity interval training can help if you’re time poor. (Unsplash: Louis Quintero)

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.”

A man in a red shirt stands at the back of a gymnasium and watches on as another man jumps. The jumping man is blurred. — When something feels too easy, that’s when it’s time to progress. ( Image Road Photography)

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.”

Related Topics:cost of living Exercise fitness gym health home gym sport weight loss

Click to comment

Does Medicare Help Pay for Gym Memberships?

Published

8 hours ago

March 29, 2026

Press Room

Does Medicare Help Pay for Gym Memberships?

Almost all Medicare Advantage members (98 percent) were in plans that covered some fitness benefits in 2022, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation study. These benefits take several forms, including membership in the popular SilverSneakers program for people 65 and older or its competitors Renew Active and Silver&Fit.

SilverSneakers provides access to more than 15,000 fitness locations across the country; online dance, exercise, meditation, stretch and yoga classes; and an on-demand video library of prerecorded workouts. A free SilverSneakers GO fitness app for Apple and Android phones is also available. Other Medicare Advantage plans also offer free gym memberships with access to a nationwide network of health clubs and exercise locations, personalized fitness plans and on-demand workout videos.

In addition to gym access, many plans provide incentives to stay active, such as a free fitness tracker every two years, discounts on a smartwatch or exercise equipment if you meet activity goals, or gift cards if you take certain healthy actions, such as exercising or getting a flu shot.

How do I find Advantage plans with fitness benefits?

To find Medicare Advantage plans with fitness benefits in your area, go to the Medicare Plan Finder, type in your zip code and choose Medicare Advantage Plan for the search. It will prompt you to put in your medications, but you can bypass that.

Next, you’ll see a list of Medicare Advantage plans available in your area. The Plan Benefits summary for each option will have a green check mark if the plan has vision, dental, hearing, transportation to and from a medical appointment, or fitness benefits. Click on the Plan Details button and scroll down to Extra Benefits for a summary of fitness benefits available. To learn more details beyond “Not covered” or “Some coverage,” you can contact the plan at the phone number at the top of the Plan Details web page or read plan documents on the insurer’s website, linked at the top of the page.

Do Medigap plans offer fitness benefits?

Even though Medicare supplemental plans, also known as Medigap, don’t include fitness benefits as part of their standard coverage, you may find they include gym membership as well as discounts for dental, hearing, and vision services at no additional cost. Some plans offer low-cost packages to add these benefits.

Here, too, you can use Medicare’s Plan Finder tool to learn more about Medigap plans in your area.

Fitness

Quarantine Fitness Trends & Top Exercises During COVID-19

Published

20 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

How to stay active and motivated during quarantine

When your daily routines are disrupted, finding the motivation to exercise can be a challenge. The key is to build a new structure that works for you. Schedule your workouts as you would any important appointment to create commitment and turn intention into action.

Focus on consistency rather than intensity, especially when adapting to a new environment. Setting small, achievable goals—like a 20-minute walk or a short bodyweight circuit—can build momentum. Remember that any movement is better than none, and establishing a regular habit is the most important first step.

At-home and outdoor exercise ideas

You don’t need a fully equipped gym to maintain your fitness. Many effective workouts can be done with minimal or no equipment, either in your home or safely outdoors.

Bodyweight training: Exercises like squats, push-ups, lunges, and planks are foundational movements that build strength using your own body as resistance.
Yoga and mobility: Focusing on flexibility and movement quality can reduce stress and improve recovery. Many free resources are available for guided yoga flows and mobility routines.
Outdoor cardio: If you can do so safely, activities like walking, running, or cycling are excellent for cardiovascular health and provide a much-needed change of scenery.

The most popular quarantine exercises, according to WHOOP data

A recent study examined data from 50,000 WHOOP members between January 1 and May 15, including over 4.9 million workouts. This comparison captured exercise behaviors before and during social distancing, using March 9 as the cutoff—the week the World Health Organization classified COVID-19 as a pandemic and the US declared a national state of emergency.

The study tracked the six most popular exercises: running, functional fitness, weightlifting, cycling, swimming, and walking. It measured the relative frequency of each activity on a daily basis. As you can see in the graphic below, there was a significant uptick in running, cycling, and walking once social distancing began.

QUARANTINE EXERCISE MODALITIES WITH BIGGEST INCREASE

Walking took the biggest jump, followed by running and cycling. The spikes on the graph show increased participation in all three activities on weekends, which continued during quarantine. However, with running in particular, the frequency of weekday and weekend participation became more similar—a lack of commuting gave runners more opportunity to get outside during the week.

The quarantine workouts that decreased

The three activities people started doing more of are all individual forms of exercise that happen outdoors—a needed break from being stuck inside. Functional fitness, which for many members was already a solo at-home workout, saw little change. Weightlifting and swimming saw significant decreases, coinciding with the closures of gyms and athletic facilities.

Other trends in quarantine exercise: Increased frequency and intensity

The sample of 50,000 WHOOP members exercised 1.1% more often once quarantine began. With many social activities unavailable, people turned to working out to pass the time. Exercise modalities like running and cycling require a high cardiovascular load, and members spent 1.8% more time working out in their three highest heart rate zones during quarantine.

The study also discovered improvements in several key physiological markers that WHOOP tracks, including sleep, resting heart rate, and heart rate variability.

Understand your body’s response to new routines

Adapting your fitness routine is the first step. Understanding how your body responds to those changes is the next. Are your new workouts building fitness without compromising recovery, and are you getting enough sleep to support your efforts?

WHOOP quantifies the impact of your daily behaviors on your body. By monitoring your Sleep, daily Strain, and Recovery, you get personalized insights to help you train smarter, recover faster, and build healthier habits.

Frequently asked questions

Does exercise help fight a virus?

Regular, moderate exercise can support your immune system. Physical activity helps promote good circulation, which allows the cells and substances of the immune system to move through the body freely and do their job efficiently. However, it’s important to balance activity with recovery, as overtraining can place stress on the body.

Does exercise speed up COVID-19 recovery?

The relationship between exercise and COVID-19 recovery is complex and depends on the individual. Some research suggests that light physical activity during and after the illness may help with certain symptoms, particularly mental and neurological ones. It is critical to listen to your body, avoid strenuous activity while sick, and consult with a healthcare professional before resuming exercise after an infection.

How does WHOOP measure the intensity of a workout?

WHOOP measures the intensity of your activities by analyzing your heart rate. The Strain score quantifies the total cardiovascular load you experience throughout the day, whether from a specific workout or other daily stressors. By tracking how much time you spend in elevated heart rate zones, WHOOP gives you a clear picture of how hard your body is working.

Fitness

I’m a fitness writer and these are the 44 best deals I’ve found in the Amazon Big Spring Sale

Published

1 day ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

I’m a fitness writer and these are the 44 best deals I’ve found in the Amazon Big Spring Sale

Lou Mudge is a Health Writer at Future Plc, working across Fit&Well and Coach. She previously worked for Live Science, and regularly writes for Space.com and Pet’s Radar. Based in Bath, UK, she has a passion for food, nutrition and health and is eager to demystify diet culture in order to make health and fitness accessible to everybody.

Multiple diagnoses in her early twenties sparked an interest in the gut-brain axis and the impact that diet and exercise can have on both physical and mental health. She was put on the FODMAP elimination diet during this time and learned to adapt recipes to fit these parameters, while retaining core flavors and textures, and now enjoys cooking for gut health.