By Charlene Nieves

Do you want to exercise but don’t want to spend money and time at the gym? Stay at home! Working out in the comfort of your own home is simple and free since you can use your own household items for a full workout. Try out these 10 everyday household items that double as workout equipment:

1. Chair

Instead of lounging on your chair, you’ll be using it to exercise. Chairs provide excellent balance and support for exercises that feature body strength like dips and leg raises. If you can’t reach the floor then grab a chair with handles and sit on the chair while lifting yourself up and down with your arms.

2. Cans

Instead of buying weights you can use the cans from your pantry. Cans come in a variety of sizes and heft so you get to decide what type of weight you want to use. If you have empty cans you can refill and reuse to customize your perfect weights.

3. Laundry Detergent

If you find cans too easy and want heavier weights, use laundry detergents. The handle gives you a perfect grip and you can customize your laundry detergent weight by removing/adding detergent to meet your workout goals.

4. Paper Plates

Want to elevate your stretches without damaging your floors? Use paper plates! Putting a paper plate under your foot will make it easier to stretch your legs further. Instead of depending on your shoes to hold you up, you will have to use more strength to maintain stability on the plates.

5. Towel

If you don’t have a mat to exercise on, use a regular towel. It won’t be as stable as a regular fitness mat but it’ll make you work more on your strength and stability because of that. Also, fold the towel and turn it into an exercise band that will support in different strength exercises such as roll ups that’ll make you stretch your arms out and maintain balance.

6. Step stool

Using a step stool is a great workout for your legs. You can jump on and off of it to strengthen the muscles in your legs and build a sweat. A step stool doubles as a plyo box which can be used for different exercises such as step ups, pushups, etc.

7. Bag of fruits

Another alternative for weights is exercising with bags of fruits. When using bags of fruits you get to customize the weight and allow yourself to have a healthy snack once you’re done. Using bags of fruits will help strengthen and tone your arms by lifting them up and down consistently.

8. Backpack

A backpack is a great alternative to adding weights on your back. Customizing your backpack weight will never lead you to reaching for different sized weights again. Wearing a backpack will elevate and intensify your pushups. The backpack will stay on your back even if you’re standing so they make great weights for standing exercises such as squats.

9. Wall

When in doubt, turn to the wall for a quick workout! Finding a wall is easy so you’ll be able to perform wall exercises just about anywhere you go which make them the most convenient. Wall exercises can range from helping you perfect your pushups to strengthening your glutes by doing wall sits.

10. Basketball

Elevate all of the workouts that you’re doing by adding a basketball. Use a basketball while doing a push up by focusing your weight and balance onto the basketball with one hand or use two basketballs for both hands. They also help with standing exercises such as lunges by dribbling the ball while also completing the exercises at the same time. This will test your concentration and ability to perfect two tasks at the same time.

Do you know of any other household items that can double as workout equipment? Share them in the comments down below!