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These days, many of us are finding ourselves trying to workout at home instead of the gym. People accustomed to using tons of equipment during a workout are struggling to adjust, especially if you do not have access to regular equipment, like dumbbells, at home.
With a bit of creativity, you can easily turn your home into a gym. While there are plenty of equipment-free exercises out there, it’s surprisingly easy to turn everday household items into workout gear. Mix up your routine by trying out some of these everyday items, from towels and canned food to a pile of books.
Kitchen chairs, lawn chairs, office chairs – any surface you can use to do an inverted push up or step up will do! Some trainers even recommend using a broom and two chairs to use as a pull-up bar – just be sure to exercise caution if trying this at home!
If you’re looking for resistance training, it can be frustrating to lack the resistance bands many exercises require. Thankfully, a regular towel is an easy replacement. From stretching exercises to core strength training, towels are a super simple item to add to your workout routine.
It’s time to get creative – check out your pantry to see if there are any packaged foods that could double as dumbbells. From cans of tomato soup to bottles of wine – use what makes most sense to you. Just keep in mind that glass jars could break during certain exercises so their use should be avoided.
Bags of flour, rice or other bulk containers (Brown sugar! Oats! Almonds!) are perfect for weighted squats. Place bags in a plastic bag if you are worried about ingredients leaking out.
It’s time to put all of those old textbooks you should’ve thrown away years ago to good use! Stack them for inverted exercises, or use them as weights! You can use textbooks as weights in various ways, including squatting and lifting.
You don’t need a fancy rope to workout at home. An old dog leash will work, just be sure to use something that is strong enough to withstand the weight of your movements.
Stairs are one of the easiest props to use when working out at home. If you live in a single story home, try using outdoor stairs or even container walls in your yard. If you live in an apartment, jogging up and down stairs is a great way to burn calories fast!
Ok, we know this sounds weird. But when doing lunges or other body weight exercises, paper plates are a great way to practice core strength.
Paper plates can easily take the place of gliders, and work on a variety of surfaces from carpet to hardwood. Styrofoam and plastic plates can also be used if paper is not available.
Even if you don’t have a single item on this list, chances are you have a wall you can use. Wall sits, handstands and other exercises are a great addition to your home workout, no workout gear necessary.
Sweatshirts or other thick materials are great substitutes for resistance bands. They can also be tied to door handles or other grounding places to create DIY lifting equipment!
You don’t need a bunch of fancy or expensive equipment to build a gym at home. If you find yourself working out at home and missing those weights at the gym, there are plenty of creative alternatives out there. From pieces of rope to sweatshirts, there are tons of ways to get the workout you need without buying new equipment. There are tons of everyday items that double as workout gear. Improve your workout routine without spending a cent, and find some new exercises in the process!
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