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When it comes to strength training or bodybuilding, bodyweight exercises may not provide the same results as using gym equipment. However, that does not mean that it is completely impossible to still work on those gains.

Quarantine may have robbed us of our gym equipment, but with some creativity, it is possible to still increase workout intensity. It is time to pull out some of your household appliances and start working those muscles.

Here are some alternatives for gym equipment you can find at home:

1. Canned goods/misc. bottles — works as a hand weight or dumbbell.
These items are great as dumbbell replacements and you can do pretty much any exercises you would typically do using a dumbbell; such as bicep curls, shoulder presses, and even russian twists for your ab workout. The weights can easily be altered by either replacing the content inside the container with heavier or lighter materials. If you want more weights, you can fill water bottles with sand or other heavier materials to make them heavier. You can also find bigger bottles, such as a shampoo bottle or milk jug, instead of canned goods. Click here to see exercises you can do using bottles.

2. Rice bag/heavy backpack/basket — are great alternatives for barbell and heavier weights.
If you need a heavier weight than canned goods and bottles, a bag of rice or a backpack filled with books would be a great solution for that. You can adjust the weight by either adding or removing some rice or books. Some exercises you can do are romanian deadlifts, bent-over rows, overhead squats, etc. Click here to see more exercises you can do using a bag of rice or a heavy backpack.

3. Stairs — alternative for bench or plyo box.
The stairs are great for lower and upper body exercises. If you have access to stairs either at home or outside your apartment, you can do exercises that you typically do that use a bench or plyo box, such as step-ups, box jumps, decline push-ups, etc. Click here to see an example of exercises using the stairs.

4. Chair — another great alternative for bench and bodyweight dip exercises.
Make sure to use a chair sturdy enough to hold your weight to prevent slipping and injuring yourself. While the chair is great for bodyweight dip exercises, it is not limited to just that. There are other exercises you can do using a chair as well, such as knee pull-ins, incline push-ups, bulgarian lunge, etc. Click here to see more exercises you can do using a chair.

5. Towel/paper plates — alternative for sliders.
Towels and paper plates are great alternatives for sliders. Exercises using these items are great to increase your workout intensity and strengthen your upper and lower body and abs. If your floor is covered with carpet, the paper plates would be a better alternative because it slides better on carpet compared to towels. Click here to see exercises you can do using paper plates or sliders.

6. Your baby/toddler! — great as weights AND playtime for your kids!
If you have young ones around, you can lift them up as weights for your workout! You are also killing two birds with one stone: get a great workout and playtime with your kids. Click here to see exercises you can do with your baby.

If some of the items listed are not available at your home, you can simply find other alternatives that serve a similar function. For example, if you do not have a milk jug, you can use a detergent bottle instead.

Your at-home workout equipment is not limited to this list at all. There are many resources online other than this article and many more tools available at home waiting for you to discover. Good luck!

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