South Africans are among the most fitness crazy nations, according to a survey conducted by Statista.
We leave the French, Americans and Australians in the dust when it comes to gym membership, the Statista Global Consumer Survey shows. But whether that means we actually go to the gym is a conversation for another day.
You will find more infographics at StatistaIf you're keen to start exercising and gym seems a bit too expensive for you, Drum has compiled some cheaper exercise options to help you reach your fitness goals.
Running
It’s one of the most effective ways to lose weight, it’s free, addictive and boosts your confidence. “Running boosts your confidence because you’re physically doing something tough, something that you might never have thought was possible one month (or even six months) earlier,” Peloton tread instructor Jess Sims tells Women’s Health.
Online training
As far as personal training apps and fitness apps are concerned, we are spoilt for choice. Just go to the app store in your phone to see. Not all of them are simple to use or free, though.
If you’re looking for an all-rounder app that offers different kinds of workouts based on your fitness levels and time you have, FitOn is a good place to start. You can follow your favourite trainers on the app and either register to join live classes or search through the archives for pre-recorded sessions.
You can do full-body workouts or just focus on one part of your body. If it’s a stretch or gentle yoga day, there are hundreds of sessions for that too.
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“Workout-wise, FitOn stacks up against other fitness apps I love, like Peloton or Obé, especially considering the price tag (free!),” writes reviewer Kathleen Ferraro for Byrdie. “I particularly enjoyed the strength-training HIIT classes, which pushed my athleticism while still being accessible. The shorter classes were also an effective way to break up a long workout into shorter, more manageable chunks –it’s easier to push through a set of burpees when you only have five minutes of work left on the clock.”
Outdoor yoga
We have the Covid-19 pandemic to thank for the rising popularity of outdoor exercise. Type in “outdoor yoga” and the name of your city on an online search engine, and you’ll find plenty options – from beaches and local parks to school fields and rooftops where yogis are leading classes in safe, well-ventilated and socially distanced environments.
If you live in Johannesburg you can visit www.yogalovaonline.com to find out about joining their Saturday Yoga in the Park classes – with complimentary coffee – at the James and Ethel Gray Park in Melrose Estate or rooftop yoga at the Ferguson in Illovo.If you live in Cape Town, call 081 329 4543 or email [email protected] to book a spot in one of the Om Revolution Mobile Yoga’s weekend classes at the Company’s Garden or Clifton Beach. If you live in the southern suburbs, ReUnion Yoga & Meditation also does outdoor yoga at the Greenhouse at Rocklands Health & Movement Centre in Constantia.
Home functional training
Because it's all fun and games until you pull a muscle when training at home unsupervised, Drum spoke to experts about safety and working out at home with no one monitoring form, technique and whether we are coping with the movements we’re trying to imitate off of a video.
When starting your fitness journey, there are four basic movements that a person must consider, according to Pietermaritzburg-based fitness expert Bheki Mncwabe. “Push, pull, bend and lift,” he says.
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An example of a push movement is a push-up; a pull movement could be a sit-up, a bend is something as simple as, starting from an upright position, bending your upper body to pick up a roll of toilet paper, unfurling, rising up to your full height, then repeating the action; and a lift movement example is a squat. “These are safe basic movements for beginners,” Bheki says.
Cape Town-based personal trainer Claire Thomas-Buys agrees that starting with body weight movements when you are new to physical training or haven’t worked out in a long time is the wisest route. People shouldn’t fear exercise equipment but you need to listen to your body.
“Avoid resistance-based exercises,” says Claire, and do basic exercises such as planking, lunges, crunches, push-ups and sit-ups that use your body weight. The common injuries she often sees from lack of supervised workouts or improper use of equipment include injuries to shoulders, the lower back, ankles, knees and wrists.
Bheki says such injuries come from the assumption many people have that they can simply just pick an exercise video online and start doing it. What’s lacking is guidance on factors such as goal-setting and understanding your own unique physical issues, constraints and abilities, he says.
“Lower back, knee and shoulder injuries – these are the main areas,” he says, “and they take a while to heal.”
Couples' exercises
It sometimes take having a fitness partner to stay the course when you start your workout journey. If you’re living with bae, why not try a few basic exercises that can benefit you both? Sit-ups, beginners’ squats, planking, imaginary skipping rope and lunges are five easy-to-do exercises.
Caution is recommended, though. Chiropractor Dr Dean Wilson says, as someone who often deals with people with sports injuries, he would encourage people to take it easy. “Generally, people try to do too much too soon. People should try to take it slow and take adequate rest days. It would be wise to start with strength and conditioning, to get a personal trainer or go to gym,” he says.
Dr Wilson adds that muscle strain and aching joints are just some of the injuries people could experience when they start exercising.
Sources: www.statista.com; www.womenshealthmag.com; www.byrdie.com
Additional reporting by Thando Ndabezitha and Siya Tsewu
