Exercise goes hand-in-hand with nutrition to obtain optimum wellness and achieve fitness goals. As such, some people choose to enroll in commercial gyms to stay in shape. However, during the pandemic, gym operations became limited to prevent the possible spread of the virus.

As an alternative, people can still engage in regular physical activity, even if at home at this time of the pandemic. Fitness enthusiasts recommend using different household items that they can actually use to perform a gym workout routine.

Wonder how to do it? Worry no more!  Here are some of household items that you can use as workout equipment.

• Chair - You can perform a variety of workout with the use of a single chair. Different muscle groups can be targeted as well. For example, doing an inclined push up targets the chest, while doing dips targets the triceps. On the other hand, step-up exercises for legs can also be done using a chair, and it can also serve as an assistance equipment for executing a perfect squat.
• Backpack - Fill your backpacks with books or any heavy items to add extra weight. This can be a weighted vest to use in a workout. Using weighted backpack during walking or running makes it more challenging, but at the same time it can improve and build your cardiovascular endurance. It can also be used when performing push ups for additional weight to increase muscle weight.
• Towel - Towels are perfect replacement for yoga mats. Laying it can work in any wood or tiled floor and be used for core and any laying exercises. You can double the towel if needed to for extra padding for more comfortable workout experience.
• Stairs - A set of stairs is a great for a quick high intensity training. Use stairs in your home or apartment building or head to a local park. It is a good workout to enhance your cardiovascular endurance and your leg’s muscular endurance.
• Water Jug - Filling it up with water can be a good substitute for dumbbells or for any weights. It can target your small muscles like biceps curls, triceps extension or it can be shoulder press.

There are many more household items that you can use in executing your exercises to give more dynamic and challenging ways for one’s health improvement. Be creative in designing your workout programs and you can do whole lot of things in a single item in your house.

You can achieve your fitness goals even when you are at the comfort of your home together with a balanced diet. Pre- and post-workout meals are important to supply the body’s needed energy before and after exercising.  Lastly, remember to always stay hydrated!

(AVETP)

References:

AZBigMedia Website (2020). Household Items that can be used for home workout. Accessed from

https://azbigmedia.com/lifestyle/household-items-that-can-be-used-for-home-workouts/

Bicycling Website (2020). 30 Household Items that Double as Home Workout Equipment by Emily Abbate. Accessed from:

https://www.bicycling.com/skills-tips/g23451830/how-to-use-household-items-to-exercise-at-home/

PE Blog Website. 10 Common Household Items to Use for Exercise by Derek Severson. Accessed from

https://www.gophersport.com/blog/10-common-household-items-your-students-can-use-for-exercise/