Here at Gymshark, we’re big on resistance training. And, if you didn’t know that, well, where have you been for the last eight years?
Lifting is what we do, but it’s not all we do. So when the pandemic struck, and the gyms here in the UK shut their doors, we hit the streets clocking up the miles on foot, and adapted our gym workouts as best we could - moving our bodyweight like never before.
Almost a year down the line, resistance training has been sorely missed (excuse the DOMS pun), and we’re craving a little added resistance to our home exercise programme.
Homeshark is back (ffs), and it’s about time we take it up a notch. No matter your geographical location, we're all fighting this pandemic together, so, we've got a list of items you’ll most likely find lying around your house, and, if not – well, they won’t break the bank to pick up on your next supermarket sweep.
WHAT HOUSEHOLD ITEMS CAN I USE TO ADD RESISTANCE TO MY HOME WORKOUT?
Ah! The question you’re no doubt here to find the answer for. We’ve put together a list of items you can safely utilise to add further resistance to your home workouts, but let us not forget – this is all about being creative, and using items you already have, where possible.
When considering which household items to use for each exercise, think about the different exercise movements and how you normally hold the weights at the gym. Also, be mindful to consider risks associated with different household items, and ensure they’re safe for use before beginning your challenging new workout.
Before you say it, yes, milk cartons and compost bags may not be quite as insta-worthy as a shiny set of dumbbells - but hey, who actually cares!? A workout is a workout, no matter what.
Here’s your list of household items to use next time you need a little extra resistance for your exercises:
Milk Cartons / Bottles With A Handle
Water Bottles
Bucket
Backpack (with added weight e.g. water bottles)
Garden Compost Bag
Cans Of Beans
Old Pair Of Gymshark leggings Tied Together (= homemade resistance band)
WHY ADD RESISTANCE TO YOUR AT HOME TRAINING PROGRAMME?
If you’re like us, air squats, 5k runs, and burpees have most likely been a staple of your home training. But as our bodies adapt, it’s important to consider progressing in difficulty even when training at home.
Incorporating resistance training into your home workout schedule has countless health benefits, from increased strength and bone density to improved sleep quality and cognitive state.
To ensure you’re always progressing, adding further resistance to your home workouts can force your body to adapt and develop further, avoiding a strength plateau and developing those much-desired lockdown gains.
HOW TO USE YOUR NEW HOUSEHOLD WEIGHTS
So, we’ve given you some ideas of items you can use to replace the absence of gym weights. Now it’s time to use them!
We’ve put together a catalogue of different exercises below, divided into full-body, lower-body, and upper-body exercises, showcasing how simple it can be to add resistance to your home workouts.
Take a scroll through and get a little inspiration for your next at-home workout...
Full Body Exercises
Renegade Row
Equipment: Tin Cans Key Areas Worked - Back & Core
Push Press
Equipment: Compost Bag Key Areas Worked - Quadriceps, Hamstrings & Shoulders
Russian Twists
Equipment: Water Bottle Key Areas Worked - Core & Hip Flexors
Lower Body
Goblet Squat
Equipment: Water Bottle Key Areas Worked - Quadriceps & Glutes
Deadlift
Equipment: Compost Bag Key Areas Worked - Hamstrings & Glutes
Front Squat
Equipment: Weighted Backpack Key Areas Worked - Quadriceps, Hamstrings & Glutes
Hip Thrusts
Equipment: Compost Bag Key Areas Worked - Glutes & Hamstrings
Upper Body
Skull Crushers
Equipment: Weighted Backpack Key Areas Worked - Triceps
Seated Rear Delt Fly
Equipment: Tin Cans Key Areas Worked - Shoulders & Upper Back
Tricep Dips
Equipment: Chair Key Areas Worked - Triceps
How have you been adding weight to your at-home training? We'd love to hear how you've been creative with your training over the last year, drop a comment below!
