While most people believe that in order to stay fit, one has to hit the gym, it is not really true. In the pandemic, we have all learnt the meaning of adapting to the new normal and improvising with things that are readily available to us, at home.
Fitness, therefore, is also a journey which has transformed. In the lockdowns, as opposed to using high-end equipment and gym paraphernalia, people made use of items which were available to them at home.
And they can continue doing that, since staying at home is still advisable. Fitness expert Mukul Nagpaul, the founder of Pmf Training, therefore, explains ways in which you can exercise using household items. Read on.
1. Backpack squats
Fill your backpack with your usual school or work items such as your books and laptop, and wear it as you squat down.
If you want to get your heart pumping, you might want to try squat jumps for some cardio.
2. Water bottle curls
From biceps to triceps, you can target both muscle groups with a pair of water bottles. All you need is to find a lookalike pair of bottles and fill them up evenly and you are good to go. Now using the bottles you can do bicep curls.
3. Water bucket deadlift
Miss doing deadlifts? Replace the weight with a bucket of water. Fill a bucket, according to your lifting capacity, and pull deadlift moves.
4. Chair (or table) dips
The usual chairs we have at home may not be as sturdy as gym benches, but a low table may be enough to sustain your weight for some chair dip exercises.
5. Hand towel side bend
For obliques (sides), all you need is a hand towel. To tone your obliques, just hold the hand towel straight, lift your hands, and do side bends. You will definitely feel the difference.
6. Book push-ups
Apart from imparting knowledge, books can also help you lose fat and build muscles. Balance a few books on your back and do push-ups to increase impact.
7. Stair run
To get some cardio while still staying indoors, run up and down the stairs in your home or apartment building. You’ll feel the burn in no time.
8. Wall sits
Remember those wall-sits you had to do in gym class back in the day? There’s never been a better time than now to bring them back into action. Challenge yourself to hold it for a minute, then work up for 30 more seconds every day.