5 Everyday Items that Double as Exercise Equipment
| 2 min read
Whether you’re too busy to hit the gym or your budget doesn’t have room for a membership right now, you can always work out at home for free. In fact, there are plenty of activities you can do inside your house, even if you don’t have a lot of room or special gear. Get started by seeing how you can transform five everyday items into home gym equipment.
A couch: Get those arms in shape with triceps dips. Sit on the couch with your hands holding the edge of the seat. Scoot forward until your legs are straight in front of you and your butt is off the seat. Lower your body using just your arms, pushing yourself back up. Do two sets of 10.
A door jam: Lay on your back with your body halfway through the doorway and lift one leg up against the jam to make an “L.” Straighten the leg to feel a great hamstring and calf stretch.
Soup cans, gallons of water or laundry detergent bottles: Turn your liquid containers into weights. Whether it’s with bicep curls or shoulder presses, you can increase your weight and keep pushing yourself without having to buy dumbbells.
Stairs: Standing on the ground level, you can do lunges by stepping one foot forward onto the first, second or third step. Every added level will increase the intensity of your lunge. You can also do calf raises using a step. Stand with just the ball of your foot on the stair. While lightly holding on to the railing, raise up on your toes and back down 20 times. Aim for three sets.
Wall: Wall sits seriously work your glutes. Stand with your back against a walk. Slide down the wall and step your feet out, bending your legs into a 90 degree angle. Hold for as long as you can (start with 30 seconds and work your way up).
And don’t forget yourself! At the end of the day, your body is the best piece of equipment. Absolutely nothing else is required to get in 100 jumping jacks, 100 squats or a one-minute plank.
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Photo credit: John Seidman
