by Maxwell Payne

Created on: June 11, 2009

Is a gym membership really worth it?

Working out and getting into shape doesn't require a costly gym membership. You can get into shape in many ways without having to sign up for a gym membership. Working out at home or in a free gym are both possible alternatives to a gym membership.

Finding a 'free' gym.

You could have access to a gym at no charge and not even realize it. If you live in an apartment complex or a community such as a development, there may be a community gym available for resident use.

If you go to a college or university, nearly all of them offer access to a gym for all students, regardless of whether you commute to school or live on campus.

More and more employers are also offering exercise programs and small gyms at the office or work location. This allows employees to get in a quick workout before work, at lunch, or after work without having to make an extra trip or pay extra money to work out at a membership based gym.

Get in shape at home.

From workout videos to building a mini-home gym, you can work out in the privacy of your own home and get a high quality workout accomplished on your own terms.

Of course, you don't need to buy those gimmicky devices and workout programs that some loud, overly excited spokesman is trying to sell you at 3 am in the morning to get a good at home workout.

Classic workout exercises such as sit-ups, pushups , triceps dips, stretches, and even the burpees can help you get a good workout for free and at home without any additional equipment.

You can also try exercises that range from yoga to , all in the comfort of your own home. Mix up your workouts with an endless number of exercises that can be done without additional equipment.

Hit the streets.

Running is one of the best full body cardio workouts around. Get some running shoes and hit the neighborhood. You can run in the streets, on the sidewalks, on public tracks (such as at some schools), or even in parks. All you need is a pair of running shoes and you are ready to go.

Biking is also another great workout that can be done outdoors if you have a bicycle. With both of these workouts, just be aware of your surroundings and use caution when doing them on busy streets or after dark.

You don't need to spend a lot of money, if any, to get a decent exercise workout accomplished. For many people a gym membership may be a waste of money as many of the exercises and routines done in a gym, can be done at home.

It all depends on how much time you spend working out and how much use you will really get out of a gym membership that determines whether a membership is right for you.

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