Walking really is the best exercise around! It’s a standard student tradition to eat too much, drink too much, and not have enough time or motivation to get fit. The last thing you want to do after a ‘hard’ day of reading is to go to the gym…unless that’s just me. What you really want to do is curl up in front of the TV, or maybe go to the pub with friends, but exercise? No.
So how can one get fit in York?
Well, the gym is always an option. But gym membership doesn’t come cheap and it all adds up.
Would you pay a lot of money to put yourself through hours of agony and exhaustion on exercise machines, staring at TVs blaring out stick thin celebrities, while being ogled by nearly anorexic girls or insanely muscular guys? No thanks. Been there, done that, and don’t like the whole scene. For the vast expense, it is not worth the sweat and toil.
I suppose I could go for a run; at least this has the advantage of not costing anything. But then you still have to put yourself through sweat and exhaustion. Heaven forbid you should bump into somebody you know, and they see you sweating into your horrible jogging clothes.
That leaves you with one far more satisfying alternative. One that does not involve bundles of sweat, wet hair, or a dent in your overdraft. It’s simple and anyone can do it: go for a walk.
You may not realise it, but walking is the best exercise of all. It’s good for the body, the muscles, the heart. Sustained walking of thirty to sixty minutes a day, five days a week, with the correct walking posture can not only make you feel better about yourself, but also has various overall health benefits. It reduces the chances of cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, anxiety and depression. And for this reason, authorities such as Walk England and the Walking the Way to Health Initiative are sending thousands of volunteers out into local communities to encourage people to walk as a leisure activity.
So for many students, particularly those living off campus, exercising really does cost nothing. You may also find you are already doing the necessary amount to keep fit, and that perhaps a walk during the exam period is just the break you need to calm down and keep those brain cells working.
Walking can also be a sociable leisure activity, in which you can amble along aimlessly with friends or walk briskly with an iPod (see our walking playlist above for inspiration).
Many holiday companies offer walking holidays, both abroad and in England, where people have the opportunity to admire the change of scenery, whilst getting their holiday fix from the tourist excursions thrown in.
It’s an activity that allows for freedom from constraint of the rules which often govern sport, and which make you feel as if you’re training to be an Olympian!
If you get tired of doing your usual walk from your house to campus, you can take some tours along the river or around Heslington, maybe even do a walk along the walls. You may discover a side of York you have never seen before.
For those who want to get away from the ‘hustle and bustle’ of the city, the Outdoor Society offers walks at £6 for members or £8 for non-members. Much cheaper than a gym membership, and offering a friendly sociable experience, often with a pub lunch thrown in! For more information on the Outdoor Society visit their website at www.outdoorsoc.co.uk, or search for them on good ol’ Facebook.
So remember that, whether pressed for time, looking for company, or strapped for cash walking really is the best exercise around!