Let’s face it, a lot of us are working out at home these days. Studies have shown that exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood and by improving self-esteem and cognitive function- and we’ve all been affected by being cooped up at home! We even highlighted the best YouTube workouts you can do at home.
However, workout equipment can be expensive and difficult to find sometimes. To make sure nothing gets in the way of you and a quality workout, we created a list of household items you already have to use in your at-home workout!
- Broom: A broom is the perfect tool for mobility work. With a wide grip, move the broom from your hips to above your head to your glutes. This will help increase your muscle mobility.
- Chair: Searching for ways to build your tricep strength without having access to gym equipment? Any chair in your house can also be used for tricep dips. Place your hands on the edge of the seat, extend your legs, and dip your torso down and up.
- Towels: Towels are the perfect replacement for sliders. Place them under your hands or feet on a wood or tiled surface to increase the intensity of ab workouts. Do mountain climbers with towels on wood floors for a big cardio boost in your workouts.
- Laundry Detergent: Laundry detergent bottles with a handle are the perfect replacement for kettlebells. The weight will vary based on how full the bottle is, so adjust repetitions accordingly.
- Backpack: Use any backpack to add weight to a workout. Simply fill it with anything you have laying around until it reaches your desired weight. Strap it on your back or front during lower body movements, or lift it during upper body movements. This versatile option allows you to change the weight as often as you need.
- Soup Cans: Soup cans are a great replacement for small hand weights. They are great for low- weight, high- repetition movement, such as bicep curl pulses. Pro-tip: Do soup can bicep curls during the duration of commercial breaks while watching TV!
- Laundry Basket: Fill a laundry basket with anything you have laying around to create the perfect equipment for a deadlift. Simply hold the handles on the side, and squat. Just make sure to keep your spine aligned and don’t hunch over, so that you’re not unnecessarily straining muscles.
- Gallon Water Bottle: Similar to laundry detergent, gallon water bottles are a great replacement for kettlebells and dumbbells. They weigh approximately eight pounds and are easy to grip.
- Couch Cushions: Squishy couch cushions are great for building balance. Doing movements, such as deep squats, with your feet on a couch cushion will help increase your balance skills. Remember to keep your core tight- it will help you stay more balanced!
- Heavy Book: A heavy book is a great replacement for a medicine ball. It can be incorporated into weighted movements such as oblique twists and cross body wood chops.
