I am reaching out to the majority of you out there without your home gyms and who don’t want to put that in your budget during a time of such uncertainty. You want to stay healthy by keeping up your exercise regime to the extent you can, and I want to give you some ideas on what you can use at home as exercise equipment alternatives. Below are also some tips if you are working from home and are pinned to your desk but you appreciate and understand that you need to move as much as possible. Please reach out to me if you want to work together in implementing these tips, tools, and recommendations. Also, if you are willing to budget for a few small pieces of training equipment, I will give you some guidance on choices as well as which companies are actually delivering on their promises!

Alternatives to Fitness Equipment

• Step stool, step ladder, staircase.
• Cans of food.
• Jugs with secure lids and a handle.
• Small to medium-sized box or tub with secure handles/grips filled with weighted items around the house (20-50lbs)
• 5-20lbs bag of unopened potatoes, rice or other grains.
• Gym bag or backpack loaded with books or other weighted items around the house (20-50lbs).
• Case of unopened bottled water.
• Secure door handle.
• Chair or seating bench.
• Empty wall.
• Sports ball.
• A can of securely fastened paint.
• Brookstick/mop handle.

Take Quick Movement Breaks Even if They are Only 5-10-minutes At A Time.

• Set a timer on your phone and just walk up and down your staircase, your hallway, or even corner to corner in a room 3 times EVERY day.
• Get out of your seat and stretch every 5 minutes
  • Do some bodyweight squats, deep lunges, push-ups off the counter – yes that counts as stretching!
  • Roll your ankles in circles while you sit and work.
  • Squat with hands going between your legs followed by a reach up ‘through the roof’ 10 times.
  • Do some calve raises while you are in front of your computer working.
  • Fidget a lot like swinging your legs back and forth in your chair while working.
  • Flex your glutes while you sit on them. Hold the squeeze for 3 seconds, repeat 20 times.
  • Flex your quads (the muscles in the front of your legs). Hold the squeeze for 3 seconds, repeat 20 times.
  • Roll your neck around slowly from one direction to the next 10 times each way. Do the same for your wrists, shoulders, and hips.
  • Put on a headset or Bluetooth headphones and pace around your condo while in meetings.

Here are some examples of atypical home tools you could use. None of these are product placements (lol). Whatever you have at home and see within the list above, just remember that this is not the time to try to be ‘perfect’ and know that any level of stimulus based on your goals right now can and will be helpful. It is so important at this time to manage your expectations and to be kind to yourself. Stay safe, stay strong, and stay well!