- Solid workouts don’t require fancy equipment.
- Willingness and creativity are key in getting your sweat on even if you don’t have access to the gym or the outdoors.
- There are several items in your home that you can use for your workouts, including paper plates, PVC pipes, and even a beach towel.
Don’t have access to a gym or traditional exercise equipment? Worry not. These common household items can help you get your sweat on even while at home.
1. Paper Plates
If you’re working out on a carpeted or smooth surface, you can increase your muscle engagement while doing standard bodyweight exercises using paper plates. For instance, you can place your foot on a paper plate before making a forward lunge to reduce friction between the floor and your foot. The sliding motion can challenge your muscle engagement.
2. Water Bottle Gallons
A gallon of water weighs almost eight pounds, making them great substitutes for the traditional dumbbells. The water bottle handles also make gripping, curling, and swinging easier.
3. Length of Rope
A length of rope can make for a great substitute for a suspension trainer. Tie your rope securely over a sturdy tree branch, and you’re ready for some assisted pull-ups, suspension planks, and pushups.
4. Beer Bottles
Full beer bottles, which weigh about 1.25 pounds each, are the perfect substitute for the “super lightweight dumbbells” needed for barre workouts.
5. Couch Cushion
Pillows, including couch cushions, make good balancing tools because your body has to work harder to maintain stability atop them.
6. Backpack
Strap a sturdy backpack filled with books or canned foods on your back, and you’ve got a weighted vest you can wear to add weight to your exercises, like squats, lunges, and pushups.
7. Length of Heavy Chain
If you have at least 30 feet of heavy chain at home, you can anchor the center of the chain around a post or tree, and use it as a battle rope. You can put duct tape on each side of the chains’ ends to protect your hands while doing the exercise.
8. PVC Pipe
You can use a PVC pipe as an unbalanced, weighted barbell by filling it up with water or sand. Make sure that your PVC pipes have caps to close off the ends.
9. Heavy Book
Almost any exercise that requires a medicine ball or a weight plate, such as cross-body wood chops, weighted oblique twists, or weighted sit-ups, can be done using a heavy book instead.
10. Beach Towel
If you’re doing yoga on carpeted surfaces, you can use a beach towel as a yoga mat or stretch strap. If you’re doing it on a smooth surface, you can fold up the beach towel and use them for sliding exercises.
Via Very Well Fit