Cost of Living: Quitting the gym to save coin? 15 ways to keep fit for free

Cost of living has risen by 7.7% in the space of a year. Kiwis are finding creative ways to save on costs. But is it possible to cut the cost of a gym membership while still feeling fit and healthy?

From brutal sand workouts to unwinding with yoga – here are 15 ways to maintain fitness and build strength for free.

There's something about running up soft sand dunes that will bring even the fittest to their knees. All you need is a beach, and a willingness to go to a dark place for a serious leg and lung burn.

And it's entirely adaptable to fitness levels. Beginners can walk and elite-level athletes can run multiple sprints.

No need to stress if you don't have a beach nearby, you can find a similar burn with a hill and a pair of running shoes to get a great cardio and leg workout.

"There's a reason athletes do hill sprints," said Auckland-based personal trainer Nick Williams. They work.

Run up as fast as your fitness level allows, use the walk back down as a rest and repeat as necessary.

One of the simplest forms of free exercise – there's no travel or equipment required for a cardio workout that's as tough as you want it to be.

If you are not a seasoned runner, Williams recommends a progressive program which builds distance and the time it takes to run that distance.

There is a lot of running advice available online, he says, and beginners can get apps like Couch to 5K which will help guide them into a running habit.

With a bit of creativity and Kiwi ingenuity, there are ways to source your own home workout gear for free or very cheap. Keep and eye on Facebook community groups or Marketplace for deals on thrifty (or free) equipment.

Old, large tyres – if you find someone getting rid of one - can be great cardio and strength equipment. Want to add weight to a bodyweight workout? Grab a heavy object and hold it for squats, or wear a backpack during a walk.

All that's required for an at-home yoga session is some floor space and – if you have one – a yoga mat.

If you’re not sure where to start, YouTube has plenty of free tutorials or try yoga apps. Yoga with Adrienne on YouTube is a favourite of Stuff reporter, and yoga enthusiast, Lyric Waiwiri-Smith.

It's the exercise we all love to hate, but the military and CrossFit favourite works cardio fitness and strength, and requires no money or equipment.

You can add them to a circuit, do a bunch in one hit or spread them out throughout the day.

Bodyweight exercises, says Williams, "develops your strength and endurance", and can be done anywhere with no equipment and a small amount of space.

From press-ups to sit-ups and squats or lunges, using bodyweight as resistance is a simple (not easy) way to maintain fitness and strength.

Plenty of programmes can be found online (such as Hybrid Strength or Onnit) which will take you through exercises, rep schemes and duration.

The circuit set-ups can be an easy way to add some variety to your fitness routine and keep moving.

From pull up bars to, monkey bars and basic strength machines, the equipment is usually pretty basic, says Williams, "but if your goal is to move regularly and mix it up it's a great piece of kit to use".

The various stations have instructions and some will have a QR code with more information attached.

If you’re someone who thrives on the accountability and friendship gained through group sessions in the gym, social walking groups can be great.

Check your local Facebook community page for a walking or running group nearby. If you can't find one invite locals along and start your own.

Speaking of community Facebook pages, they can be a great source for free (or very cheap) boot camps in your area.

Finding one could take a bit of luck and they are often more of a summer thing, but keep an eye out or ask on local community pages if anyone is running one.

Fitness doesn't need to be regimented or follow a strict routine for it to be effective.

If you have a ball, enough mates and a field, head down for a game for an hour.

A full-sized football match not for you? Take a ball or a cricket set outside, play backyard badminton or even grab a tennis ball for an old-school game of handball against the house wall.

You may not be doing it every week and it may not seem like the most "fun" exercise, but getting out in the garden for a lawn mow and a few hours of weeding can be both great exercise and a nice dose of vitamin D.

There's a reason people go to the gym to spend an hour on a step machine – climbing stairs works.

A close cousin of the sand dunes and hill sprints, hunt around for a decent amount of stairs locally and get walking (or running). Use the walk down to rest before you bound back up.

Something about getting out in nature makes it easy to forget you’re even exercising. With countless walks around the country – at lengths and difficulty levels to suit anyone – head out for an afternoon of nature.

Just be sure to check any rules and restrictions around Kauri dieback and follow any entry and exit instructions.