Lifting dumbbells in combination with your aerobic exercises is an ideal way to tone down and obtain your #goals body. Not all of us want to run out and buy a complete weight set or trudge to the gym in the last of this winter rain. And nor should we! Here are eight household items you can use for your next workout.
Bottles of Balsamic
If you're the type to stock up on your favorite cooking items like balsamic vinegar, you're in luck! These glass bottles are great for grasping—just make sure they're not too heavy so that you don't drop them. Need a challenge? Consider holding two if the shape (and the size of your hands!) allows.
Cutlery Tied With a Rubber Band
This isn't something you'd typically think of, but it's genius nonetheless. Simply gather up about eight or 10 spoons and forks, depending on the weight you want, and wrap them tightly together with an elastic band or two. This provides a nice grip for your lateral raises and plank holds, too. Expert tip: avoid using knives!
Laundry Detergent Bottles
Stock up on laundry detergent and use these for your five-pound lifts, since the average 72-ounce bottle weighs about five pounds. The best part of this dumbbell replacement? Comfortable handles! Once you've used up your detergent, simply refill with water and presto: perfect weights.
Milk Jugs
Whether they're full of milk or water, consider taking your milk jugs to the next level of utility by adding them into your at-home exercises. Also great for hanging onto, you can adjust their weight by filling them with water to your desired level.
Water Bottles
Keep yourself cool during your summertime workouts at home and use some chilled water bottles—one in each hand—for your aerobic exercises. Most water bottles are designed to be gripped, making for the ideal dumbbell trade-off. Plus, if you get thirsty, you'll know where to look. You can also opt to use your reusable water bottles instead of disposable, plastic ones.
Socks Filled with Pebbles
Want a fill-in dumbbell that's a bit more condensed and easy to hang onto? Consider filling an old pair of socks (as long as they don't have any sizeable holes) with pebbles or rice. This will give you a stylish weight (if you choose cute socks) and a small enough dumbbell to use for at-home aerobics.
Cans of Soup or Beans
Yes you can! Open your cupboard—yes right now. Our guess is that you've got at least a few cans of soup or beans in there. These items are easy to grasp and come in different shapes and sizes, making them great for diverse moves you can do without leaving the house or having a ton of extra equipment on hand.
Chair
This is not just a replacement for your weights, but a transformative tool for your at-home workouts. Consider using a chair to do your aerobics, leg raises and incline push-ups.
As you can see, working out at home is much more doable (and certainly much more convenient) than you probably thought. Skip the visit to the fitness centre and start searching for your best household dumbbell replacements instead.
Photos: tomertu / Shutterstock, Daniel Taeger / Shutterstock, JIANG HONGYAN / Shutterstock, megastocker / Shutterstock, D7INAMI7S / Shutterstock
