Written by Menswear Style in Health & Fitness on the 24th April 2017

With swimsuit season just on the horizon, men up and down the UK are looking to shape up in time for summer. For many of them, the answer is simple: join a gym. However, there’s more than one way to get fit. If you don’t want to get locked into an often pricey 12-month contract or prefer to get your exercise out in the fresh air, then here’s our pick of the four best ways to get fit without a gym membership. Stick to one of these and you’ll be in great shape in no time.

Ditch the car 

If you own a car, it can be easy to fall into the habit of driving everywhere. While this might save you a bit of time, it also means you miss out on one of the easiest and most convenient ways to get fit: walking. You might be sceptical of the impact walking can have on your fitness levels, but you’d be surprised. For starters, it has been proven to reduce the risk of chronic illnesses like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and some types of cancer according to the NHS. If you start investing in the habit now, you’ll therefore increase your chance of staying fit and healthy long into the future. In the short term, a regular walking habit can help you shed the pounds at a steady and healthy pace. As it’s low-impact, it’s also the perfect exercise for people of all fitness levels. So, ditching your car and spending more time on foot is a great first step if you want to get fit.

Get running  

If you want a no-hassle way to increase your overall level of fitness and get in great shape, look no further than running. You don’t need an expensive membership or any equipment to get started: simply get out the door and start putting one foot in front of the other. However, if you’re new to running, it’s a good idea to follow a programme to help you stick to the habit and keep you improving at a good pace. The NHS’s popular Couch to 5K programme will have you running for 30 minutes straight in nine weeks of steady progression: download the free podcast for iPhone and Android on the official website.

Take up the beautiful game  

If you prefer team sports to solo pursuits, then a great way to get in shape without a gym membership is by taking up football. As the UK’s most popular sport, there’s bound to be plenty of ways to get into the beautiful game in your area no matter your skill level, from a kick about in the park to joining a 5 or 11-a-side team. If you want to take up football competitively, search the FA website to find teams near you. If you need a proper pair of boots or shin pads to make the step up to this level, then go through comparison site FOOTY.COM to get them at the best prices around and keep your costs down.

Build muscle at home  

So far, we’ve listed a few great ways to burn fat and get looking your best without setting foot in the gym. However, if your aim is to gain muscle, you might be sceptical about how much you can achieve without access to weights. If your goal is to look like Schwarzenegger, then you’re right in thinking you won’t be able to get there without a gym membership. However, if you’re like most of us and just want to put on a bit of lean muscle, then you’d be surprised how much you can achieve with a simple home workout routine that uses nothing but your own bodyweight as resistance. If you’re still not convinced, give the recommended routine from Reddit’s bodyweight fitness community a go. If you’re new to strength training, you’re sure to see some big gains in the first few weeks, and it’ll be months before you hit a plateau. By this point, you’ll be a lot stronger and have plenty of lean muscle to show for it as well.

So there you have it, four fantastic ways to get fit without ever setting foot in a gym. Whether you’re trying to get in shape on a budget or you’re just not a fan of the gym, pick up one of these four alternatives and you’ll look and feel great in no time.

We advise on walking instead of driving, running and muscle building in this feature on How to Get Fit Without a Gym Membership.