With the cost of living skyrocketing around us as we ride along the wave of yet more unprecedented times, it makes sense to rethink your gym membership. According to an AllAfrica report, gym membership fees increased by 20.5 percent from October 2024 to October of the following year. So, how to get fit without the gym? Enter: these tips, which balance affordable workouts with your hectic schedule.
1. Get Social
The buzzy “social fitness” movement is only gaining momentum. Bumble and adidas have launched a Gym Interest badge to let prospective partners know how you like to kick it. Of ACSM’s 2026 Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends, what stands out the most is the element of togetherness: adult recreation-meets-sports clubs, group classes, and multi-purpose gyms.
To leverage this without a physical gym, lean into social fitness apps like Strava or Apple Fitness, where you can share your activities and challenge friends and family to keep up with you. For real human-to-human interaction, join a crew, like social trail running clubs, running clubs in your area or find a bootcamp class with friendly, like-minded exercisers.
2. Try Women’s Health Fitness Challenges
For years, Women’s Health has released completely free workout plans, from running plans to weight loss challenges to goal-oriented fitness plans. They often don’t require equipment and are designed for women to be done wherever. ‘Nuff said.
READ MORE: Powerful But Simple Fitness Tips That Actually Work
3. Join A New Class
Novelty is the spice of fitness. More and more, people are looking for fitness to be fun – not something to begrudgingly tick off the to-do list for Vitality points. These new classes, often popping up in individual boutique studios, offer community and the chance to sweat while having fun. And, sometimes your first class is free!
From amapiano dance workouts to rebounding, the options are almost endless. Don’t believe us? A brief and non-exhaustive list of fun, social fitness classes:
- Step fitness
- Afro-dance
- Immersive, cinema-esque cycling
- Themed workouts (Think: superhero HIIT or goat yoga)
- Rollerblading
- Ballet or hip-hop dance
- Martial arts
- Sauna journeys
- Barre fusion
4. Download A Free App
Perhaps the Holy Grail of modern-day fitness, the humble workout app punches far above its weight. There’s a free version of almost any modality, from strength training to Pilates. Cellphone apps go wherever you are, and with cellphone reminders, they can even prompt you to get to the proverbial class.
READ MORE: Top Fitness Apps To Kickstart Your Journey
5. Take Your Fitness Outside
You don’t need to do parkour to recognise that the entire world is your gym. Scaling walls aside, the outdoors, with its beaches, mountain trails, long roads and fresh air make up a completely free workout studio. From bootcamp workouts in the park to walking, there’s so much to be gained from taking your workout outside.
Try:
- Running
- Open-water swimming
- Hiking
- Trail running or cycling
- Road cycling
- Calisthenics
- Parkrun
- Surfing
- Skating
6. Embrace Cross-Training
Without a gym, you might feel like your workout options are limited – but you’d be wrong. Sure, there isn’t a treadmill or ready set of weights, but you can chop and change your workouts as often as you’d like. HIIT, yoga, Pilates, callisthenics, running… they’re all achievable in the same week. Access classes on YouTube, via an app or tag along with a friend.
7. Pick Up A Sport
If you’re South African, chances are you already have a soft spot for sport (and maybe think longingly of the days you could still finish first in high school hurdles). Sports bring people together while creating accountability for your fitness. You can’t skip practice; you can’t miss a match. Plus, it’s a chance to develop a new skill.
8. Sign Up For A Competition
With a race already on the calendar, there’s simply no choice but to train for it. And if running or cycling isn’t your bag, your options are open these days. Fitness competitions are on the rise, offering strength-meets-cardio opportunities.
9. Join The Party
Fitness spaces are becoming third places – not just gyms, but venues for connection, celebration, and belonging. Coffee raves (sober parties taking place before 9am during a workweek) are on the rise, as are other sober social workout events. Think: swapping the cocktail for ceremonial cacao or a cold plunge. Too woo-woo? Try social fitness meet-ups, where like-minded people sweat together.
10. Make Your Own Gym
Working out at home is not for everyone – and could potentially trigger some painful Covid-era flashbacks – but it sure is handy. If you get creative, household items become weights or tools; at the most basic level, just the floor and some grit will do.
If you’d like to set up the basics but don’t know where to start, pick a modality and go from there. Want to do Pilates? You’ll need a set of light weights. For strength training, pick a set of dumbbells and see where it takes your muscles.
READ MORE: Exactly How To Start Weight Training For Weight Loss, According To Experts
