Getting Fit on a Budget
A small budget shouldn’t be the reason why you’re not getting fit. While you have a body, you can use it to get fit and to achieve anything you set your mind to – it’s as simple as that. Still, getting started can be daunting, especially when you are lead to believe that you need to spend heaps of money in the pursuit of health and fitness. In today’s economic climate a gym membership and top branded fitness gear, while nice to have, are luxuries few can afford. When you’re starting out on your journey to fitness, you’re still figuring out what form of exercise is going to work for you, so, you really don’t need to break the bank on trainers or exercise gear, when you’re still in that discovery phase. With that in mind, here are some tips for getting fit on a budget!
The truth is if you’re focused on getting fit the only real investments you need to make in the beginning is in a sports bra and a good pair of trainers. For a sports bra, look for thicker, adjustable straps to minimise up and down movement and a broader base for a snugger fit around your ribcage.
When it comes to trainers, local brand Olympic International have been a surprise. The brand offers an attractive, affordable and well-made range of trainers and sports shoes and they’ve been doing it for a long time. In February 2018, Olympic International will celebrate 100 years of sporting excellence.
Since 1918 Olympic has supported the South African sporting community with technical sports shoes endorsed by late rugby great Danie Craven himself. The brand peaked in the 70s and thrived through the 80s. In the 90s, like many local brands at the time, they lost market share to multinational sports brands when these returned to open shop in post-1994 South Africa. In the early 00s, they staged a comeback refocusing on the fastest growing sports in the country – netball, hockey, cycling, soccer, athletics and the athleisure market.
Today Olympic is indeed one of the only local brands, which offer quality, technical sports and leisure footwear at competitive prices. The brand has achieved much in the last few years, winning partnerships with SA Schools Netball and the SA Hockey Association this year. Olympic has invested in testing their shoes to find ways to continuously improve the technical capabilities of their shoes in these fast-paced sports.
In addition to being the shoe of choice for professional athletes, they really are the beginner’s new BFF thanks to their reputation for making some of the most trusted, entry-level and advanced road and mountain bike cycling shoes in the country. If you’re a cyclist, you would have heard ‘the Ollie’ mentioned in cycling circles since the brand is one of the most popular entry-level cycling shoes for anyone starting out in this exciting sport. The Crank, an entry-level MTB shoe, is incredibly well-made, durable and delivers a lot of value at only R1,299 per pair.
Olympic also recently launched an impressive summer range of casual trainers and outdoor shoes. Their casual trainers follow the latest sneaker fashion trends in material and style while offering a perfect entry-level cross-training shoe suitable for casual runs and low impact gym days that won’t break the bank. And what’s more, they’re good looking too. Retailing from between R645 and R799, you’ll find these at mass and specialists retailers countrywide.
If you’re an adventure seeker who prefers a mountain hike over the drudgery of the treadmill, Olympic has a range of female outdoor shoes worth a serious look before you blow your budget. At a recommended retail price of R845, their hiking boot is excellent value for money. The outer is made with a mix of canvas and suede for durability while the aggressive yet flexible sole is suitable for technical and longer hikes. They also offer outdoor shoes for less strenuous pursuits, but the features of each follow international standards of manufacturing and design. They’ve also introduced an entry-level unisex trail running shoe for women and men, aptly named the Dirt. Again, reasonably priced at R745 for men and R699 for the female shoe and are available at stores across the country.
Olympic International proves that well-made trainers and sports shoes don’t need to bankrupt you straight off the starting blocks. We recommend you give this brand a good review when deciding on a shoe for your fitness odyssey.
View their range at Olympic Sport’s official website and following them on Facebook and Instagram for fitness tips and giveaways. We promise you’ll be nicely surprised. Plus, they give away a pair of trainers every month! Epic.