No equipment? Fine, make your own!!
Having the time to train is a problem for many of us, as is expensive gym memberships. However, even if you don’t have access to a gym or fitness equipment. However, this shouldn’t prevent you from squeezing in a damn good workout. It’s time to bring in the Homemade Gym Equipment! All that is required is a bit of foresight, what do you want to work on? What kind of equipment is required to simulate the effects of weight training equipment found in the gym?
Next up is a raid on your store cupboards, the garage, the basement, wherever you are, doesn’t matter. Grab a few common household items on hand to adapt to become your homemade gym equipment. Utilise your environment and be creative and you will be able to put together total body workouts that don’t leave you short on time or money!
Stair-climbing
If you’ve got stairs in your home, stair-climbing provides a solid cardio workout. Even just walking up and down them a few times. Alternatively, the stairs can be used for box jumps, step-ups, incline/decline press-ups and wearing a weighted backpack whilst stair climbing adds resistance (but be careful!!). At work? Climb flights of stairs at lunch breaks! For instance, if you have 10 floors in your building, run/walk up to the first floor then back down. Next, run/walk up to the second floor, then back down. Continue this until you reach the tenth floor and watch the weight fly off as the weeks go by!
Stair Climbing.
Chairs
Fixed chairs can be utilised for a variety of exercises including triceps dips (don’t use a chair with wheels for obvious reasons!) or mountain climbers (See picture below).
Armchair assisted Mountain Climbers.
Office chairs with wheels can be used for core work including incline press-ups (below), plank variations, pikes, chair pendulums and hip bridges.
Office Chair Incline Press Ups.
Backpack running
Loading your work backpack up with weight adds intensity to exercises and can make runs more challenging. The stuff you bring to work should provide adequate weight with the only downside being any salads or food in your bag will be thoroughly scrambled by the time you get to them! Get off the bus/tube/tram several stops early and run home with the backpack. Make the distances longer as your cardio level picks up.
The backpack can also be utilised as a makeshift kettlebell, sandbag or medicine ball. To add resistance to bodyweight exercises, such as squats, lunges, and pushups. You can even take the backpack off and grasp the straps to perform curls, shoulder presses, or makeshift kettlebell swings.
Backpack Running.
Heavy Books
Placing a heavy, hardcover book on your chest when doing abdominal work (such as crunches) adds an extra level of tension to an already difficult exercise. Lie on your back, arms above you, book in hand, and use your stomach muscles to raise your shoulders off the ground, targeting your lower abs. Alternatively, sit on a chair, with your legs close together and extended out and the book balanced on your shins, slowly raise and lower the legs to work your lower abdominals.
Almost any exercise you do while holding a medicine ball or a weight plate can be done with a heavy book. For instance, using a book for resistance when doing oblique twists, sit-ups, crossbody wood chops or squat and overhead press (below).
Overhead squat exercise using heavy books.
Walls
With virtually any wall you can do push up variations or even handstand push-ups (which are fantastic for building upper body strength particularly in the shoulder region). In a push-up position with your feet facing the wall, plant your feet against the wall with arms stretched out in front of you. Push your feet against the wall to hold you in position. This position will work the core tremendously.
Wall plank exercise.
From here it up to you if you want to undertake standard press-ups to work upper body and the core, or you can literally ‘walk’ the legs up the wall, at the same time using your hands on the floor to walk backwards until they are close to the wall and you are in a handstand position (below). From this position, you can undertake handstand pushup which places much more emphasis on the shoulder muscles and the deltoids.
Wall walks into Handstand.
Other uses of the wall include using it as support for a squat, this is great for a beginner because it ensures that the back is straight when undertaking the manoeuvre and thus the emphasis is on the targeted muscle groups in the leg.
Wall Squats.
Everyday objects for resistance
Utilise everyday objects around the house for your homemade gym equipment. Don’t have access to dumbbells or kettlebells? Then use paint cans, water gallons and even laundry detergent as resistance.
Water container Back Rows.
Fill some empty paint cans with rocks and use them like kettlebells for squats of swings. Grab a couple of gallons of water for farmers walks or extra resistance with lunges, overhead presses and side lunges. Choose smaller laundry detergent containers if you want a little less weight.
Training with everyday items.
Floorcloths
Floorcloths can be used in just the same manner as glider discs for core work. Please note, however, they are useful only on smooth surfaces such as shiny or tiled floors (so don’t be trying to use them on a carpeted floor as it will be pointless!) Find a couple of cleaning dusters or old rags, the game plan is to increase core muscle engagement while performing standard core exercises. Try crocodile walks with the rags on your feet, pikes, alternate toe touches or mountain climbers. Controlling the sliding motion can be challenging.
Floorcloth Pikes
Enjoying our section on Homemade Gym Equipment so far?
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Towels
Towels are great for core activities such as pikes and crocodile walks (Below) etc, however, their advantage over floor rags is their size which makes them more versatile as homemade gym equipment
Towel Knee Tucks
Due to their extra length, they can be attached to handles and bars so the bodyweight can be used for resistance.
Towel rows
Likewise, they can be wrapped around limbs and used as resistance for leg exercises such as leg curls (see below).
Towel Leg Press
Make your own Suspension Trainer!
A makeshift suspension trainer is relatively easy to put together with the right materials! If you have a length of rope on hand even relatively lightweight rope will do. You just need to measure the rope so it is approximately 10ft in length, then you need to tie a loop at either end, big enough to fit either your feet or hands securely into. Simply throw the rope over sturdy support such as a tree or pole, grasp each end, and get to work doing assisted pull-ups, suspension planks, and pushups in a TRX suspension fashion.
DIY suspension trainer
You will need:
- Length of Rope (available at most DIY stores).
- A measuring Tape.
- Duct tape.
- Scissors.
How to make your suspension trainer:
- Tie slip knots on both ends of the rope.
- Cover the loops with the friction tape. Be sure to add extra layers to the one end so that the rope doesn’t slide through and tighten around your hands when in use.
Cushions
Cushions (and pillows in general), are squishy, making them an alternative to expensive balance tools. They can be difficult to stand on and perform exercises on because your body has to work harder to maintain stability atop the foam or stuffing-filled surface. Ok, so balance tools like BOSU balls generally introduce a greater level of instability to each exercise, but that doesn’t mean cushions aren’t a good alternative. Try doing pushups atop a cushion, or split squats with one foot on the cushion, and one foot on the floor.
Cushion Reverse Crunch
Heavy chain
If you happen to have a long length of heavy chain sitting in your garage (at least 30 feet long), why not use it as a battle rope? Bear in mind though that your partner and/or neighbours may grow to hate you. So get them involved too!! You can anchor the centre of the chain around a post or tree, grasp one end of the chain in each hand, and swing away! If you’ve never tried battle rope-style exercises before, remember to keep your core tight and your knees bent throughout each movement. You may also want to wrap the ends of each side of the chain with duct tape to help protect your hands as you perform each exercise.
Chains can also be utilised for extra resistance in bodyweight exercises such as the push up (below).
Heavy Chain Press Up. Resistance training
Tables
Everyone has a table at their disposal, just make sure yours is sturdy enough to support your bodyweight!! If it is, you are set, tables are great for incline/decline pushups as well as bodyweight pull-ups.
Bodyweight single-leg deadlifts using the table for support
Brooms/Mops
A broom is a versatile tool that can be used to work your core, shoulders and upper body. For oblique twists, take the broom and grip it with both hands, about shoulder-width apart. Fingers face forward. Press it up, overhead and then rest it on your upper back, just below the base of your neck. Stand tall and engage your core. Twist the broomstick and your right arm forward, while allowing the left arm to move backwards. Return to centre and then twist to the right.
Broom Overhead squats
Make your own sandbag!
Sandbags can be expensive, especially the top of the line ones on offer. It is, however, very simple to create your own.
Homemade sandbag
You will need:
- Sand (available at most DIY stores).
- 4 large robust plastic bags.
- Duct tape.
- A sturdy duffel bag.
How to make a sandbag:
- Fill the plastic bags with sand leaving enough space for it to move around, then seal the top with the duct tape.
- Put the first sand filler into a second plastic bag and seal them both with duct tape.
- Place the double-bagged sand filler inside a duffel and zip it shut. To add security, you can duct-tape the zipper.
The Takeaway
With a bit of imagination, it is possible to create gym equipment at home using everyday objects. By repurposing items and thinking outside the box, individuals can design simple yet effective workout tools that cater to their fitness needs. From using water bottles as dumbbells to utilizing chairs for tricep dips, the possibilities are endless. This creative approach not only saves money but also allows for a convenient and versatile workout routine within the comfort of one’s home. By embracing resourcefulness and ingenuity, anyone can transform their living space into a personal gym and achieve their fitness goals without the need for expensive equipment.
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