- Item 1: Cans of soup for arm weights
- Item 2: Stairs for a cardio workout
- Item 3: Towels for stretching
- Item 4: Gallon of milk for leg weights
- Item 5: A dining room chair for multiple exercises
- Item 6: Furniture sliders to work your core
- Item 7: A large pillow to support yoga poses
- Item 8: Backpack for resistance exercises
- Item 9: Use your couch for ab workouts
- Item 10: Broom or mop handle for stretching exercises
- Item 11: Wall for push-ups and wall sits
- Item 12: Fill up small water bottles with sand and use them as weights
- Item 13: Use your table for incline push-ups
- Item 14: Use your own body
- You don't have to have costly equipment to exercise at home
Exercise is just as important as healthy eating when maintaining your health. If you don’t get exercise, your whole body will suffer.
But what if you don’t have time to go to the gym?
No gym? No problem.
Even if you lack space and don’t have equipment at home, many items in your house can be repurposed and help you stay fit.
Here are some household items you can use to exercise at home:
Item 1: Cans of soup for arm weights
Are you looking for an inexpensive way to do bicep curls? Cans of soup (or vegetables, beans, etc.) make great cheap weights. Though they are not as heavy as dumbbells, they are still effective at building muscle.
Item 2: Stairs for a cardio workout
If you have a staircase in your house, there are plenty of exercises that you can do using stairs, such as walking or running up and down them or doing step-ups. However, if you want to turn your regular staircase into a piece of gym equipment like a stair climber, try putting on some ankle weights before doing any stair exercises.
Item 3: Towels for stretching
Towels are great tools for stretching and core exercises like crunches and side planks. Place one under your body when doing sit-ups or lunges to make those positions more comfortable. You can also roll it up to stretch your back or hold it between your legs when working on your inner thighs.
Item 4: Gallon of milk for leg weights
The typical gallon of milk weighs about 8 pounds, enough for a good set of bicep curls or calf raises. You can use it as a barbell or hold it while running or walking.
Item 5: A dining room chair for multiple exercises
You can use any chair in your house to do many exercises! For example, a sturdy chair can be an excellent substitute for the bench press and perfect for push-ups, dips, step-ups, squats, etc.
Item 6: Furniture sliders to work your core
Place one under each foot, and then slide back and forth to work your core. Also, if you’re looking for a workout that’ll target your arms, legs, and glutes all at once, then mountain climbers will be your new go-to exercise with furniture sliders.
Item 7: A large pillow to support yoga poses
A pillow is a perfect prop for yoga poses that require extra support. You can use it to help balance poses or even place it under your knees to help you stay more comfortable on the floor.
Item 8: Backpack for resistance exercises
There’s no need to invest in weights or a resistance band if you’re into resistance training. Instead, fill a backpack with heavy books or water bottles and wear it on your back during strength exercises like squats, lunges, push-ups, and planks.
Item 9: Use your couch for ab workouts
While your couch might be the first thing you think of when you want to sit down, relax, and watch a movie, it can also be a workout tool. If you’re looking for a new way to do crunches and sit-ups, try propping your legs up on it and doing your ab exercises with your legs raised. Or grab one of its cushions and squeeze your upper body muscles tight by bringing it toward your chest and then extending it out.
Item 10: Broom or mop handle for stretching exercises
Use a broom or mop handle for stretching exercises, like shoulder stretches and arm raises. Stretching is good for your muscles, your bones, and joints. It helps lubricate them and keep them loose, staying healthy and strong. Another way to use a broom or mop handle is for various balance exercises.
Item 11: Wall for push-ups and wall sits
If you aren’t comfortable doing push-ups on the floor yet, try doing them against a wall. To do wall push-ups, stand about two feet from a wall with your feet shoulder-width apart. Place your hands on the wall at shoulder height and walk your feet back until you’re in a plank position. Bend your elbows and lower down until your chest nearly touches the wall, then push back up. Place your hands higher up on the wall for more advanced wall push-ups.
To do a wall sit exercise:
- Stand with your back against a wall with your feet hip-width apart, and walk your feet out in front of you until they are two to three feet away from the wall.
- Bend your knees and slide down the wall to parallel your thighs to the ground, keeping your back flat against the wall.
- Hold this position for 30 seconds to one minute, then push back up to standing.
Item 12: Fill up small water bottles with sand and use them as weights
If you don’t have any weights lying around, fill old plastic water bottles with sand to make your improvised dumbbells. A single bottle doesn’t provide much resistance for most people, but if you have several on hand or looking for light weightlifting, they’re perfect for bicep curls and other exercises.
Item 13: Use your table for incline push-ups
The typical desk is about 30 inches high, making it perfect for incline push-ups. This classic bodyweight exercise can help you improve upper-body strength and build muscle in your arms, shoulders, and chest. It’s also great if you’re learning how to do push-ups because it’s easier than doing them on the ground.
Item 14: Use your own body
Another item is your body weight. It’s one of the best weights to start building strength without spending money on equipment or memberships at gyms. You can do push-ups, planks, burpees, and other bodyweight exercises for different muscle groups.
Read more about Walking for weight loss can transform your body
You don’t have to have costly equipment to exercise at home
Sometimes you don’t have the time to make it to the gym. But that doesn’t mean you can’t squeeze in some exercise while at home.
With just a few everyday household items, you can get in a quick workout without having to set foot outside.
You can always find innovative ways to exercise at home, but it may take some creativity and out-of-the-box thinking.