As gyms have shut their doors and weights sell out online, many of us have been left to our own, precious devices in the workout department during isolation period.
But physical exercise is just as important, if not more important, during quarantine season – workouts obviously ensure that your endorphins are flowing (and subsequently, your mental health is taken care of) amid these times of uncertainty.
So it’s time to get creative with what we already own. Although we may not realise it, our homes are filled with household items that are literally begging for you to pick ’em up and do gains-inducing reps with.
The main qualities to look for when scouting some DIY improv weights are:
A) Weight (obviously, lol) – will it help muscle build, is it too damn light or can it be tampered with to add some weight?
B) Grip – how holdable is the household item in regard to the specific exercise you want to do? For example, if it’s bicep curls, you’d need some kind of hand grip, or if you were fangin’ to do some squats, you’d just need to get your hands in a comfy spot underneath the weighty object.
(Side note: are you getting real creative with home workout hacks? You should enter our comp here ASAP.)
With these factors in mind, I went on a testosterone-ravaged mission around my apartment to uncover items that could be hurled around for the sake of physical exercise.
Firstly, because I was hungry, I looked in the fridge.
MILK. WITH HANDLES. Something like this may be a tad light for some, but it’s a great start.
For you lactose-intolerant folk or milk-disposing folk out there, water containers also hold the same purpose. This full 10L container that I have worked surprisingly well when doing a couple of reps, and the hand grip allowed me to feel in control, too.
In fact, any kind of water-filled container would probably be your best bet when it comes to exercise like bicep curls, as it’d allow you to tinker around with the particular weight by adding or subtracting water weight. Sites such as GymPerson.com provide detailed instructions on creating the perfect water bottle dumbbell.
Secondly, we have squats, which are very important as we’re all looking to get a thicc, peachy booty post ‘Rona (don’t lie). For squats, you’ll obviously need to be holding something that has substantial weight, and that you can easily hold in front of you.
Now, don’t laugh, but this typewriter has become my newfound piece of squatting equipment. It’s so fucking heavy (which I discovered after two house moves), allows for consistent reps and gives my quads a good ol’ burn. I’m also able to easily grip my hands underneath the typewriter as I hold it up to my chest.
And this is what it’s all about – finding those household items that you normally wouldn’t consider usable for exercise, and ultimately getting creative with your workout regimes.
Speaking of creativity, here are some more super rogue weights options that I found… (Success undetermined, but you get extra points for thinking outside the box)
If you’re still stuck for objects, a quick trip down to Bunnings might be in order, to pick up kilo bags of sand to hoist over your shoulders while you squat and lunge.
You may feel silly when exercise with something similar to a fucking typewriter, but your body (and mind) will be thanking you for the sweat. Besides, your unusual and innovative weights will make your workouts feel less like a chore.
Now, Alexa, play Dua Lipa‘s “Physical”.
