The price of fitness - How do I get better value?

Right, this might sound a bit weird, but I'm trying to work out ways to exercise more efficiently (time/money/results).

I'm pretty active. I spend £40/month on a gym membership. On average I.....
use the gym 2x a week
pool 1x a week
run outside (at least 5km) 1x a week
cycle to work

I do these things out of habit. I doubt I get very much out of doing any of them except that I 'maintain a level of fitness' and I'm pretty sure my time could be better spent.... its been ages since I saw any improvement, but then again I NEVER push myself, its just routine and I'm sick of it.

I'm thinking of ditching my gym membership cause I'm sure I can get better 'value for money'.

Things I'd like to do regularly include:
Cally Rd Masters swimming - £5
Kickboxing - £10
Pump/Spin/Yoga Classes - £8.50 each
TNRC - free (but price of a train tkt)
Track - £6 a session

I know I can't fit all this into a week, but even doing 2 things off that list doubles what I currently spend on exercise.

How much does the average joe (on lfgss) spends per month/week on their choice of fitness activity? - whether it be gym memberships, track cycling, yoga etc.

Any suggestions as to where I should put my money?

I'm spending about £45pcm at the gym, I go 3-4 times including a circuit training class that pushes me out of my comfort zone.
I was doing an mma training session at £8 a week but that's stopped now and I want to find something else to replace it

Kattie try the kickboxing it's a great workout and it'll make you suffer.. which is what I guess you're looking for.

I agree with Master Pun.

£50 per month on gym, go 3/4 times a week, run or Turbo other evenings.

Bought the kit so Turbo ands running is "free".

Am I right in thinking you're at Blue Post later? I'll bore you with what I do instead of gym if you are...

EDIT: Doesn't require a boring pub rant.

Buy yourself some freeweights and a Turbo.

Oh and wrestle Hatbeard now and again.

Personally, i find that keeping a log helps. All you have to do it increase it in small steps and soon you will find your upper limit and then its a bitch to move beyond that.

What the hell is the blue post?

£50 per month on gym, go 3/4 times a week, run or Turbo other evenings.

Bought the kit so Turbo ands running is "free".

Good advice.

Maybe try rollers though so you get a core workout...

Blue Posts pub...bodeans thingemyjig

how much does the average joe (on lfgss) spends per month/week on their choice of fitness activity?
fuck all!

Have bike. Will ride for food.

What do you want to be fit for? Thats a good start. When you say you want to exercise more efficiently, are you looking for a quick fix to a specific end result?
Depending on your goals, you may find that what you are doing at the moment is too much, and what you really need to do is focus on what you want first, and train toward that goal.

E.g. There is little point in me doing specific upper body exercises in the gym if i want to be a better cyclist. Quality squats and deadlifts for example will take care of my upper body. I get in and out of the gym in under 45 minutes. You may just need to focus on quality and intensity.

Yeah I did it back in Oz and loved it... like a personal trainer, but a small group. Twas the only time in my life I could do chin-ups.

I think realistically (financially and time-wise) I will probably do:

-kickboxing 1x a week (£10)

-swim 1x a week (£3.20) as I do now in the mornings. I'd love to do masters, but 8-9.30pm Thus nights? This would mean finishing work, sitting about at home for a few hours and going out again, and I know myself too well. Once settled on the sofa, there is no going out. Why can't it start at 6?

• maybe a class/track every other week (£8.50)
  
  

-an outside run (FREE!)

Thats about £42 a month which isn't too bad. Plus I think/know I'd be a lot fitter/get more out of it.

I think I pay 55 quid a month

At most I tend to do 4 yoga classes and a couple of pilates each week. If work and cycling get in the way I go at least 3 times a week.

I do not use any of the other facilities or classes. Cycling does enough for my cardio, so yoga and pilates deal with flexibility and core.

There is no way I could do that much and pay for individual classes.

I spend fck all...just run ride and lift weights.

Get yourself a BIlly Blanks Tae Bo DVD...worked a treat for various athletic types I know

You has weights at you home?

#quitsgymandgoestostonehedge#

What do you want to be fit for?

I don't know how to answer that...... maybe this is my problem.

I spend £27.50 on work gym (incl spin classes) - but I pay for this mainly for the towels/showers/bike lockers at work

In general I will only use the gym once or twice a week, for an overall 'conditioning'/core session and a weights session. Other than that and the commute, I try to get one run and one 'fast-laps' (i.e. chaingang) in during the week. The weekends are solely for long rides/coffee stops/racing.

One way I push myself is to measure myself against my friends/training partners - pick someone who is better than you and then aim at them! Also if you can find a decent spin class (preferably with music that you like, a decent bunch of 'regulars', and an instructor who is actually a cyclist) then that can become a decent cornerstone of your week's training

What do you want to be fit for?

I don't know how to answer that...... maybe this is my problem.

Indeed it is. You could just be bored with your routine.

What would it feel like if you were exercising more efficiently, and how would you know you had been more efficient?

BTW - by the sounds of it, you ARE fit. Being fit (as you probably know) requires maintenaince. Have you checked things like resting heart rate and such?

It may not be fitness you require. Maybe youre simply bored.

Damn... not fast enough...

"What do you want to be fit for?"

Cause I live in Brixton and running is an essential survival skill?

No seriously; I've just always done a lot of sport and I generally enjoy it. Previously it was field hockey..... I never had to join the gym until I got to London. In Oz you just seem more active (guess its the weather).

More recently its been gym and a bit of tri training - I didn't even join a tri club cause you have to pay a massive joining fee and then per session as well.

As much as everyone rips the shit out of British Military Fitness; I think I'd quite like it (though maybe not the others that do it) and get a fair bit out of it.

I really think getting back into kickboxing is going to be my fix. It seems to be an ace all round work out - cardio, core strength, plus I'm an angry person.

Another way is to find targets.

I find i train harder if im training for something. Goal orientated. Whether it be in time for a beach holiday or a massive long ride somewhere.

£26 pm on gym membership. (probably an additional £4-5 on lockers, never thought about it before but 20p a go adds up) run in the gym 3x week, swim 2-3x a week.do core and ab work post run.

Just barbells and dumbells. They live inbetween my coffee table and TV on the rug.

Not much you can do with machines that you can't do with freeweights I find. True, some of the more specialised machines isolate some pretty odd muscles but I find that I get the job done at home. Helps to have a weights bench for full range of motion during benchpresses but I manage without.

Its also not great to do freeweights without a spotter unless you're experienced but I'm not lifting huge weights to build bulk so I don't feel I'm going to end up pinned down by the chest by the bar...