Using Objects Around The House To Get Exercise At Home

There are many common household objects that can actually be used to get a workout. You don’t have to go to a gym or buy a lot of expensive equipment. You’d be surprised at how many of the things needed for exercise are already sitting right in front of you.

Here are some workout ideas using not only furniture but also other common, everyday household items.

Using Your Couch To Maximize Your Home Workout

Just about everybody has a couch in their home. But you might not have thought about it as anything other than something you use for sitting. Here are a couple of exercises you can perform using your couch. As long as it’s sturdy, it should work just fine.

As with any sort of exercise routine, however, make sure you talk to your doctor first. You want to make sure it will be as safe as possible to start working out.

Glute workout – Put your back on the floor perpendicular to the couch. Make sure your buttocks are about a foot from the edge of this piece of furniture. Then put your feet on top of the couch. Bend your knees at a 90-degree angle and raise your buttocks. You’ll want your body to form a straight line moving from the shoulders to the knees. Pause a moment, lower yourself, and then repeat.¹

Push-ups – Put your hands on your couch cushion, directly above your shoulders. While keeping your body in a straight line from your head to your feet, bend your elbows. Do this until your chest is barely grazing the cushion. Straighten your elbows and then repeat.²

Triceps workout – For this exercise, you’ll sit on the floor with your back to the couch. Put each hand on the edge of the couch. Keep your hands shoulder-width apart and keep your legs straight in front of you. Push down on your hands to lift up your torso. Pause and then repeat.³

Working Out With Other Objects Around The House: Chairs, Coffee Table, And Even Rolls Of Toilet Paper

There’s really no limit to the kinds of workouts you can perform with common objects around the house. Here are a few more examples.

Chair – A sturdy chair can be perfect for lunges. Step up on it with your right leg, and come back down. Do this for 30 seconds and then repeat with the other leg.⁴

Coffee table – Put your hands on the edge of the table – again, make sure it’s sturdy enough to support your body weight. Slowly work your feet backward until you’re in a position to do a pushup. You can do “clapping pushups,” where your hands leave the table long enough for you to clap. Or, you can do traditional pushups.⁵

Toilet paper – Yes, you can do exercises using toilet paper. Stack three or four rolls on top of each other on the floor. Place the palms of your hands on the floor and stretch your body out, keeping your toes on the floor (this is the plank position). Using your right hand, take each roll and stack them by your left hand. Then un-stack and re-stack using your left hand.⁶

Other Ways To Enhance Your Home Workout

Are you ready for other ways to use your home for a workout? Here are a few more suggestions.

The stairs – Who needs a stair climber when you’ve got the real thing right in your home? Walking up and down your stairs each day is a great workout.⁷

A wall – This will help build up your quadriceps muscles. Push your hips against the wall and bend your knees at about a 90-degree angle. Keep your feet flat on the floor and put your arms out straight in front of you. Hold this position for about 10 seconds, stand up, and repeat.⁸

Paper plates – How can paper plates help with a workout routine? Well, they can help you slide, which can help make your lunges workout a lot more efficient. A small towel or even a magazine would also work.⁹

How To Safely Get Started With A Workout Routine

In order for any workout program to help you meet your fitness goals, it needs to be safe. This means communicating with your doctor about your fitness goals and getting their approval for certain exercises.

You should also start your new fitness routine gradually, especially If you haven’t exercised in a while. Don’t immediately jump into a routine where you’re working out for 30 minutes or an hour at a time. Start with shorter periods and easier exercises. You can then work your way up, increasing the intensity of your workout as well as the duration.

The lower impact the exercise, the less strain on your joints and muscles. The higher the impact, the greater the strain. Examples of high-impact exercises include those that involve a lot of jumping.¹⁰ You can find a lot of safe, efficient workout routines just by browsing on your smartphone.

As long as you’re careful and smart, you should be able to get a great workout using objects around the house. The above suggestions just scratch the surface of what’s possible. You might not be able to use kitchen utensils or dishes in your exercise routine, but just about everything else can be in play.

Learn More:

Balance Exercises for Older Adults – Improve Stability and Strength

How To Build Muscle The Healthy Way (5 steps)

Feeling Weak in the Knees? (do these simple leg exercises to improve leg strength!)

 

 

 

Sources
1. https://www.foxnews.com/health/5-pieces-of-furniture-that-double-as-fitness-equipment-and-how-to-use-them
2. https://www.foxnews.com/health/5-pieces-of-furniture-that-double-as-fitness-equipment-and-how-to-use-them
3. https://www.foxnews.com/health/5-pieces-of-furniture-that-double-as-fitness-equipment-and-how-to-use-them
4. https://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/10-everyday-objects-double-workout-equipment/
5. https://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/10-everyday-objects-double-workout-equipment/
6. https://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/10-everyday-objects-double-workout-equipment/
7. https://skinnyms.com/5-household-items-to-use-as-exercise-equipment/
8. https://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/leg-exercises/videos/bodyweight-wall-squat
9. https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19524971/household-item-workout/
10. https://www.livescience.com/54805-best-way-to-start-exercising.html

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