There seems to be a common misconception that playing sports and staying in shape often costs students an arm and a leg. Although some sports and activities may be more expensive than others, there are plenty of ways to stay in shape without emptying your pockets. The Sheaf has put together a list of a few ways to stay in shape over the summer that cost nothing or hardly anything at all.

1. Running: it’s pretty straightforward if you’re great at putting one leg in front of the other repeatedly, and if you happen to own a pair of good-quality running shoes, then this one is for you. There are plenty of parks and trails to run on in Saskatoon and a range of running groups to join. There are also plenty of race opportunities over the summer too. I’d recommend running in the early morning or the evening to avoid the heat, and don’t forget to add some sprinting to your running routine as well. Running along the river during sunrise or sunset is a great way to start or end your day, and you may want to take your camera along to snap a photo.

2. Bodyweight workouts: there are plenty of ways to build strength that don’t require weights or a gym membership. Push-ups, pull-ups, squats, dips, burpees, planks, planches, shoulder push-ups — these are all great bodyweight exercises that can be done at home without weights. There are multiple variations of each of these exercises to up the intensity and plenty of instructional exercise videos on Youtube to help you along.

For a quick circuit, you can try warming up for five minutes with jumping jacks or skipping rope. Then try doing 20 of each of the following moves: burpees, push-ups, squats, pull-ups, reverse crunches and lunges.

Take a 30 second break between sets and reduce the number of reps by five for each exercise until you reach zero. After that, finish your workout with a few sets of one-minute planks and side planks, and then stretch out. Repeat the workout until it becomes too easy for you, then switch it up a bit.

3. Swing dancing: Saskatoon Lindy Hop holds free beginner swing dancing lessons at River Landing every Tuesday night at 7 p.m., followed by dancing until dark. This is a great way to learn a new skill, get your heart rate up and meet new people. Even if you think you have two left feet, don’t be afraid to go out and give it a try. You might surprise yourself!

4. Rollerblading or skateboarding: if you’re already a skateboarder or rollerblader, this one should seem obvious, but if not you should be able to find a cheap board or a set of rollerblades online or from a garage sale. If you don’t live too far from work and you don’t give a shit about running into other pedestrians on the sidewalk, try rolling your way to work in the morning and home in the evening. Or try rolling about the city instead of going for a run. Just wear a helmet, because there’s nothing cool about hurting yourself.

5. Get a manual labour job: want to make money and get fit? Find a job that includes a lot of heavy lifting and manual labour like a landscaping helper, construction helper or concrete mixer. You’ll learn some practical skills, get in shape and if you’re lucky enough to get plenty of working hours, you could have a decent amount of change saved up before returning to school after the break.

6. Hit the field with your friends: organize a street hockey tournament, get your friends together to play soccer, get a game of ultimate frisbee going in the park — anything really. All it takes is a little bit of organization and determination to turn a game into a fitness opportunity.

These are just a few ideas but there are plenty of other ways to stay fit. The important thing to remember about implementing any exercise routine is to go about it at your own pace, make sure you get enough rest and to stick with it.

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Brenden Palmer / Sports & Health Editor

Graphic: Lesia Karalash / Graphics Editor