Strength Train with What You’ve Got on Hand!

Exercise equipment can be expensive, cumbersome, and bulky, which is why it often ends up covered in cobwebs rather than sweat. But you don’t need a treadmill, weights or a squat rack to build muscle at home; with a little creativity, you can fashion a number of household items into fitness gear.

If you want to recreate the feeling of free weights, look no further than your kitchen or pantry. Cans of soups or beans typically weigh between 1 to 2 pounds. They are also the right shape to fit snuggly in the palm of your hand, making them perfect for bicep curls and tricep extensions. The next door to explore is that of your refrigerator. A gallon of liquid (juice, milk, water, etc.) weighs approximately 8 – 9 pounds.  These bottles are easy to grip, which is why they’re useful for exercises that engage a number of muscle groups like body squats, lunges, or shoulder presses.

For a workout that focuses on toning your core, grab a couple of hand towels. Yes, you read correctly. By placing a towel under each foot, you can do a number of different abdominal exercises more effectively such as mountain climbers, knee tucks, and feet pikes. This Monday, change up your workout by engineering your own equipment.