Stuck at home with no exercise equipment? Have no fear, we'll take a look at some common household items you can utilize to increase resistance in your workouts as well as mimic what you would be doing in the gym!
Common household items:
· Broomstick
· Laundry detergent
· Paper towels
· Wine bottles (the fuller the better)
· Paint cans
· Milk/water jugs (if they're empty you can fill them with water or fill with sand for even more resistance!)
· Stairs/chair/bench/stool (these will be useful for exercises with elevation changes)
· Bag of dog/cat food
Exercises:
Exercise 1: Overhead Squat/Back Squat/Front Squat/Lunges/Romanian Deadlifts
Take your broomstick (or sub out for a rake, 2x4 piece of wood -- anything that mimics the length of a barbell!) and perform any of the above exercises. Since there is little resistance to these items, add in a tempo!
A tempo refers to how quickly you lift the weight for each repetition of an exercise. Each exercise has it's own tempo guide which is made up of four numbers. These four numbers are used to help breakdown each of the different phases of a single repetition. For example, 4/2/1/0 -- this would be 4 seconds on the negative/lowering phase, a two second hold in the bottom of the movement, 1 second to return to your starting position, and 0 seconds rest at the top of the start position!
Another tough tempo would be 5/5/1/0 this would be five seconds on the negative/lowering phase of the movement, a five second hold in the bottom of the movement, 1 second to return to your starting position, and 0 seconds rest at the top of the start position!
Perform any of the above exercises with either prescribed tempo for 12-20 reps, and repeat for 4 sets. Rest for a maximum of 60 seconds between sets!
Exercise 2: Hamstring Curls
Utilizing hardwood or tile floor, grab a piece of paper towel for each foot. Lying on your back place your heels on the paper towels with your knees bent. Bridge your hips up and slide your heels away from your body then bring them back in. Perform 4 sets of 12 to 20 reps. You can add a 4/2/1/0 tempo to this exercise as well. This would look like: 4 seconds sliding your heels out, holding for 2 seconds with your legs extended, taking 1 second to bring your heels back to the start position, and 0 seconds between reps.
Exercise 3: Romanian Deadlifts
Use full milk or water jugs or fill them with sand to where you are comfortable. No access to sand? No problem, water will still work just as well! Romanian deadlifts can be performed holding the handle of a jug in each hand as you would a dumbbell.
Exercise 4: Overhead Press
This can be performed holding the handle of a jug in each hand as if it were a kettle bell with the weight of the jug resting on your wrist.
Exercise 5: Bent Over Rows
This can be performed with the jugs as well as if they were dumbbells.
Exercise 6: Utilize wine or liquor bottles for bicep curls and triceps extensions.
Exercise 7: Suitcase Deadlifts
Paint cans be utilized in place of the milk/water jugs for lower body work and can also be filled with sand for added weight.
Place the paint cans at your sides, feet shoulder width apart. Hinge at the hips, knees slightly bent, keeping your chest up tall and eye gaze straight ahead. Grab the handles of the paint can and drive your heels into the floor as you bring your hips forward. Always keep your hips lower than your shoulders, and lock your knees out at the top!
Exercise 8: Step ups/ box squats
Utilize your stairs, a stool, or a bench and you can perform front step ups, side step ups, and box squats. Utilize any of the items listed above to add resistance!
Sample Workout
Equipment needed:
· broomstick
· Two gallon milk/water jugs
· Hardwood/tile floor space
· Paper towels
5 exercise Circuit to be completed for 5 rounds. Rest 15 seconds between exercises and 60 seconds between rounds
1. Push press:
- Grab your gallon jugs
- Perform 12 push presses
2. Overhead Squat:
- Grab your broomstick/2x4/barbell length object
- 15 overhead squats with a 4/2/1/0 tempo
3. Bent over row:
- Grab your gallon jugs
- Perform 12 rows
- Add in a 2 second pause at the top for extra resistance
4. Romanian Deadlift:
- Grab your gallon jugs
- Perform 15 reps with a 4/2/1/0 tempo
- For extra resistance, elevate your toes on a book!
5. Floor Hamstring Curls
- Hardwood/tile floor
- Paper towels
- Perform 12 reps with a 4/2/1/0 tempo
