There are a lot of things that you could use to help facilitate more potential exercises in your home-gym. There are plenty of things that you could use that you already own including soup cans. This is something simple that can easily be integrated into your home exercise program.
Some light free-weights are essential to any home gym as they provide resistance to the working muscles thereby invoking a stimulus and in return improvements are made. But in the absence of a few small dumbbells, we can substitute with soup cans!
Of course the contents of the cans do not necessarily have to be soup; peas, corn or any other canned good will work too! With this in mind, you have no excuse but to provide your muscles with the stimulus required to force an adaptation and improvement. Any exercise that you find that is performed with a dumbbell can automatically be substituted for a canned good so your options here are endless.
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There are a lot of things that you could use to help facilitate more potential exercises in your home-gym. There are plenty of things that you could use that you already own including the broom. The broom is something simple that can easily be integrated into your home exercise program.
The broom is definitely one of the most common items and there are a number of things that you can do with it! A lot of exercises that are done standing up with no equipment involve a lot of balance and I like to use the broom to keep my posture throughout. Now if you don’t have a broom this can easily be substituted with a hockey stick or even a small rake or mop.
Resting the broom on your shoulders is great to keep your balance during a quat or lunge exercise but my favorite broom exercise is the standing twist to work the oblique and surrounding core muscles. You could even use it for a bicep curl or shoulder press. This does not provide a lot of resistance but if you go through the motion enough times you will see that eventually it does become difficult creating a nice burn in the associated muscle group.
©2009 One80.com. All Rights Reserved.
There are a lot of things that you could use to help facilitate more potential exercises in your home-gym. Many of these things you already own including stairs. This is something simple that can easily be integrated into your home exercise program.
Stairs are one of the most over-looked pieces of equipment found in any house or building. Right away I know some of you are snarling at this idea already but honestly, stair climbing marks one of the best cardiovascular exercises due to its intense nature. Furthermore, you can do a number of leg exercises involving a lunge-type movement. Most importantly, during cold/bad weather,it offers the safest and most intense calorie burning workout that will help to tone and tighten your muscles at the same time!
©2009 One80.com. All Rights Reserved.
There are a lot of things that you could use to help facilitate more potential exercises in your home-gym. Many of these things you already own including books. Books are something simple that can easily be integrated into your home exercise program.
Every home has 1 or 2 of these and they make for a great addition to any home gym program. My absolute favorite exercise to do with 2 books is the calf raise. Simply place a 3-inch thick book under the balls of each of your feet and get up onto your tippie toes and then back down again to target the calf muscles. You can also use these as an elevation under your hands to give a new variation on the push-up or even stack up a few of them and they can act as a stand during some other floor exercises.
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Step 1: Hip Extension
Feel the burn in your hamstrings and glutes with this exercise. On a step or platform, lie facedown with hips on the edge of the step, legs straight with toes resting lightly on the floor. Squeeze the glutes and hamstrings and straighten the legs until they are level with the hips. Hold for 2-3 seconds, and lower letting toes lightly touch the floor. Repeat for 2-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions
Step 3: Outer Thigh Leg Lift
When you work your outer thigh, you’re actually working your butt. This exercise can be done standing or lying on your side. While standing, simply lift the leg out to the side, a few feet off the floor. Keep hip, knee and foot in line and foot flexed. Repeat 8-12 times on each leg. For more intensity, add a 1-5 pound ankle weight
Step 4: Deadlift
Deadlifts are great for your hamstrings, butt and lower back, but form is critical! Stand with feet hip-width apart, weight in front of thighs. Keeping back flat and abs in, tip forward from the hips and lower your torso until bar hits mid-shin. Squeeze butt to raise back up. Keep the bar close to your legs through the entire movement–don’t bend the knees! Do 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps.
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