Dumbbells, kettle bells, barbells, and benches can be expensive additions to your home gym. So, get creative, look around your home, and find common household items that can help pump up your fitness routine. Or reuse balls or bottles to boost strength AND reduce waste to help protect the environment. Try these DIY home-exercise hacks from HPRC (Human Performance Resource Center) for a full-body workout that’s convenient and easy on your wallet!
- Use your stairs to perform calf raises, single-leg raises, or squats.
- Use a sturdy chair for tricep dips, step-ups, push-ups, or squat jumps.
- Use a hand or kitchen towel to practice ab rollers on your tile or hardwood floors, or switch to paper plates for use on a carpet.
- Use a gallon (or half-gallon) jug—filled with sand to desired weight—for bicep curls, overhead presses, or tricep extensions.
- Use a 72-oz detergent bottle—weighing about 5 lbs.—for 2-handed lifts such as shoulder raises or sumo squats.
- Use water bottles—filled with water or sand—for a variety of dumbbell-weight exercises, including bicep curls, weight lunges, and shoulder presses.
- Make a medicine ball: Cut a slit in a basketball or soccer ball, fill with sand, and seal.
Remember there are clever ways to workout—whether you’re on or off duty. And check out these HPRC videos to learn more home-exercise hacks.
