Thinking of getting started with a gym? You are not alone, of course. You can find plenty of Health Clubs, fitness Centers and The like... all prepared to take the hard-earned cash of yours in return for a 12 month contract with the fine establishment of theirs. Plus a lot of them are indeed fine establishments, designed with all the most up advanced treadmills, phase machines, biking and rowing simulators...you name it.

This is big business of course, so the marketing spin would have you believe that you need the hi-tech gadgetry to achieve the entire body workout. A little physical fitness and health centers have also spa and sauna facilities, masseurs for your pains and aches, along with personal trainers who'll cater for your individual requirements (once you upgrade the membership) of yours.

For most, this's the best option. Especially those who actually really like a little eye candy with the arm curls of theirs. The social facets of fitness centers are widely recognized. It is often a good place to meet Miss or Mister Goodbar, and this's surely an attraction and flat belly smoothie book (www.islandssounder.com) a motivator for some. For others, this area of the gym scene is a totally unwelcome and also has given rise to the numerous women-only fitness centers that now dot the marketplace.

What's the alternative? It's right outside your front door, and it's attracting an increasing number of health and fitness devotees. Plus it's known generically as Outdoor Fitness, Park Fitness or maybe any combination or variation of these terms. Outdoor Fitness is going to be rapidly embraced by fitness devotees which choose the fresh air of the great outdoors with the too sweaty, smelly & usually stuffy environments of the local gym.

The advantages of exercising in the park are varied and many, along with (in no specific order) include: • Cost savings. Absolutely no membership fees. No contracts to sign and no concerns about your health club going broke. What number of health club members have lost the money of theirs that way?

• Fresh Air. Research has shown that indoor air is no less than doubly polluted as outdoor air

• Mind and Body Workout. Whenever you exercise outdoors, the mind of yours has more to engage it, and also it is made to focus differently than it would on a static aerobics pad or maybe weights room.

Getting fit in the Great Outdoors is not new needless to say. People have enjoyed running, cycling, everything and swimming else for thousands of years (for bicycling, substitute chariot racing). What's brand new and gaining increasing assistance is the trend for personal or group fitness training conducted by a qualified personal trainer. Group fitness classes are almost everywhere and it is destined to overtake the acceptance of the paid membership health clubs as well as gyms in the decades to come.

The difficulty is finding a great personal trainer and a fitness group which is a"good fit". As soon as you have done that, a good pair of shoes, purposeful clothing and some basic fitness equipment is what you should do. The rest costs nothing.