Exercise at home is the most accessible. “Many applications, Netflix or YouTube programs can guide (fitness classes, get back in shape given by sports professionals, etc.), points out Sophia Mansouri, sports coach The equipment can be very limited. Howver, she advises not to save money on an exercise mat, which will not cost you more than fifty euros. And to invest a few euros more in small dumbbells or some resistance bands, elastic (in sports stores) that replace weights and take up less space. In the program: strengthen the muscles yoga, Pilates, cardio training.
swimming it does not require supervision or expensive equipment. For example, it costs from €2 to €3.50 to enter a municipal swimming pool in Paris and from €22 (reduced rate for over 65s) to €43 for three months.
Accessible sports around the corner are economical. So walking, Nordic walking (with its long poles to activate many parts of the body), running, cycling in the countryside, in the forest, in the parks will not ruin you. In any case, choose the appropriate equipment, so as not to risk ligament or muscle damage.
Sportswear, accessories: tips to pay less
For running or racing fans, “the average price for a good pair of running shoes is €150,” explains Benjamin Crespeau, manager of an Endurance Shop in Bourg-la-Reine (92). about 800 to 1000 km”. If you run 5 km three times a week, it will last you a year. Sale target: prices drop by 30%. With a good understanding of your step, or to renew a model that suits you, discover the many websites that offer attractive prices all year
For other equipment, there are alternatives as good deals! Sophia Mansouri advises second hand equipment, economical and virtuous for the environment. “A lot of the equipment bought during the confinement is now resold, often little used, on general platforms like www.leboncoin.fr,” he explains. Dumbbells or simple exercise bikes can be purchased here at half price. U online markets are legion, such as Buycycle (buycycle.com) for the cyclist, Campsider for outdoor sports: transactions between individuals are secure.
For more complex mechanical equipment, you may prefer to go through professional networks that guarantee their opportunities for two years (as for new equipment). The general decathlon he made it one of his flagship offerings. “We will recover some equipment in nine stores out of ten”, explains Anthony Le Mens, project manager of Second Life Decathlon France “They are revalued and resold guaranteed”.
Cycling and outdoor sports experts like Velo culture or Alltricks (www.alltricks.fr and boutiques) also sell used items or warehouses. Specialized platforms like zyclora.fr o tuvalum.fr certify and recondition the bikes you guarantee. Please note: these two sites operating from Spain only offer a one-year legal warranty on second-hand goods.
Meet at the Sports Recycling Center (recyclerie-sportive.org) allows you to equip yourself cheaply with sports clothes, textile equipment, bicycles, snowshoes, skis, etc. checked, and even to “co-repair” your equipment in a workshop with a specialist.
Low-cost sports clubs, preferential financing or a personal coach: 3 good plans to save money
Looking for a course to get started without mistakes? Since gym memberships are sometimes expensive, discover the activities organized by your municipality or associations.
> Another option: sessions at a reduced price financed by your company or its CSE (former company committees).
If you opt for a gym, try a trial session before signing up. The Neoness network, for example, opens a free session per month (Freemium formula): you have access to the equipment, but also to a group course. Basic-Fit, Fitness Park, Keepcool offer entry-level subscriptions, between about €25 and €30 per month with a one-year commitment (30% more expensive without commitment). Attention, some rooms offer a discounted price…only for the first month! Check enrollment fees and services: video or face-to-face coach for group lessons, paid options.
> Think of the sports-health centers, certified by the Ministry of Sport.
They allow a smooth recovery, can lead to the best offers of activities and encourage the reimbursement of sports practice by certain insurance mutuals (read opposite): www.sports.gouv. fr/discover-the-health-sport-houses-nearest-to-you-389
Other resource: the French Federation of Sports Retirees with 450 partner clubs, offering preferential rates.
> Do you dream of a personal coach, even at home?
A little more expensive at the beginning, this professional will put you on the right path to practice only later.
Price: from 40 to 80 € per hour, “reimbursed to 50% in tax credit for home services“, points out Sophia Mansouri.
Free sports sessions in town
To avoid practicing alone, find out more about your community. With Senior outdoor sportsthe City of Paris offers free sessions for over 55s, from March to October, in 18 clubs of all disciplines. Sports Sunday in Paris is another program, in parks and gardens, free and without registration. Still in the capital, Club Colette offers some free sports activities to the elderly (leclub.colette.club).
Many other cities offer these opportunities: for example, Senior health sport in Marseille o informa@lyon for guided excursions.
Also visit the website www.meetup.com to meet members of nearby sports groups and see planned outings. Alone or with others, sports can fit into a tight budget. All that remains is to keep your good resolutions.
Consider mutual funds or insurance to reimburse prescription sports
Some mutual funds or insurers reimburse part of the cost of a sports activity prescribed by a doctor (in case of long-term, chronic illness, etc.). Check with yours. Unfortunately, Social Security isn’t on board yet. A reimbursement project was discussed and then limited to cancer patients only, and as an experiment.
Free apps and sites to get fit
Many free applications help to work on flexibility or muscle strengthening. The Ministry of Sports advises, for example Freeletics, Nike Training Club (also on Netflix) or Adidas Running.