Thursday 30 October 2014

Fitness Equipment Substitutions

There have been so many excuses concerning getting fit that a book should be written about all of them. (You know, there probably is a book someone has already written, but I just have not found it yet.) One of the excuses I hear from people is "I don't own the right equipment for fitness." That is just not true! Just because a person may not own the latest dumbbells or have a state-of-the-art fitness center set up in the basement does not mean they cannot work out. Fitness can be achieved by using good equipment substitutions. Many of these fitness substitutes can be found right in the home.
No weights?
If there are no free weights or resistance bands available for strength training exercises, and this equipment is not included in the family budget to purchase, then that is fine. A great substitution for this is to use different sized water bottles to provide resistance training. Grab two empty 20 ounce bottles, fill them with water and seal them tight. Voila - a "free pair" of weights is now available. To provide a little more density for training, purchase some craft sand and fill the water bottles with the sand.
For heavier resistance, fill 1 liter bottles or even 2 liter bottles with sand. Soup cans work well for lighter resistance needs. They are making vacuum cleaners much lighter now, but in the past, the heavy canister vacuum cleaners would provide a workout unlike any other. Of course, the best type of resistance equipment that is absolutely free is using body weight.
No treadmill or stairmaster?
For a great cardio workout, a machine is not necessary. The great outdoors is a wonderful cardio training facility - and it costs nothing to put on a pair of sneakers or hiking boots and take advantage of it. It is suggested to take a brisk walk for at least 30 minutes three to five times each week.
Football athletes use the stairs at the football stadium as their workout for calves and legs. If there is not a stadium in the area where running is allowed, there are the stairs in a park, or even the stairs in or around the house. Playing outdoor games is fun and can burn calories, if done for long periods of time. Another great way to get a cardio workout is to clean. Yes, doing heavy activities like vacuuming, scrubbing, and furniture arranging will help you "feel the burn".
No yoga mat, strap, or blocks?
Flexibility exercises can be done right at home, with a trusty blanket folded double to substitute for a mat. Also, if a person is doing yoga and needs to use a strap and blocks, all they need to do is get the strap from their bathrobe. It is easy and does not cost anything! For yoga blocks, how about the boxes of Kleenex from the grocery store
It is better to use the box that contains 125 tissues or more for the yoga block substitute.
There is a quote that says, "Do what you can with what you have...". This holds true for everything, including fitness equipment. Getting healthy and fit does not have to cost much at all.

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