Finding ways to workout with limited to no equipment is hard. But at least we can go outside to a playground to use all the equipment there. You know, the pullup bars and dipping stations.
But not when it's cold. When it's cold, you don't even want to step outside the house!
Which is why I usually gain fat. But not this year. This year I made a promise to myself that I was going to get my workouts in, no matter what. This new determination has motivated me to use alternative way to add resistance to my training routines.
The Equipment
Bag Filled with Books
The easiest way to add resistance to your workouts is to get a sports or school bag and fill it up with books. The one I have in the workout weighs 33 lbs. Put in a few more books, and I could probably get it up to 37 lbs.
With a school bag, you wear it on your back while doing pushups and pullups. My friends and I used to put weight plates into the school bag. I urge you to experiment. Go around your house and find objects to place into the bag.
2 Chairs and a Broomstick
You can do a lot with a chair, including elevated pushups and dips. However most of these movement are for the chest or abs. To effectively work your back without a pullup bar, just get a broomstick.
Make sure the broomstick is nice and sturdy. Start the inverse rows with your feet flat on the floor. Keep your body low to the ground, so just in case the broomstick snaps, you won't suffer too much damage.
The Exercises
Front Squats
Grab your bag and hold it with your hands under the bag as shown above. Keep your back straight and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Push your hips back as if you were sitting down in a chair.
Push your hips back as far as possible before bending your knees. So your hips are pushed back first, then bend your knees. This will help keep your knees behind your toes. Squat as deep as you can while keeping your back straight.
Keep practicing until your can do this movement without rounding your back. Keeping your back straight is usually easier when you are holding an object in front of you. Push back up with your glutes, hamstrings, and quads to starting position.
Cross-Body Mountain Climbers
It's hard to see in the picture, but cross body mountain climbers are pretty simple. Get into pushup position with your feet on a chair or other elevated object. Lift one leg up and bring that knee towards the opposite elbow.
Bring it back to the chair and repeat with the other leg. To make this movement easier, simply perform it with your feet on the ground. To make it more difficult, you can place your hands on an elevated object.
The last variation is to place your feet on a stability ball. But you may want to do regular mountain climbers first before doing the cross body version. Either way, you'll be getting a better ab workout then situps or crunches.
Chest Press
Lay down on the floor with bag on your chest. Grab the bag from either side, and press up. It might take a few practice reps before you're able to balance out the weight and get the hang of it.
But the great thing about having a bag full of books as opposed to a heavy barbell is that you don't have to be afraid of cold steel hitting your chest. However, make sure you position those books so that no sharp edges are pointed downwards.
Inverted Rows
The key to executing this movement is a solid broomstick. Make sure you test out the broomstick before you start the workout. Once you've find the right broomstick and sturdy chairs, you're ready to execute the movement.
Lay down on the ground and grab the broomstick with a wide grip. Keep your feet flat on the floor and back straight. Brace your abs, and pull your chest towards the broomstick. This is a surprisingly tough movement.
After a few reps, focus on getting the flow of the movement. Inverted rows are a great variation for people who have not yet mastered pullups.
Progressing with your Workout
Perform this workout 3 times per day, for 4-6 weeks. Write down how many repetitions you do per exercise per workout, and try to perform at least one more repetition per workout. This will keep you more interested, and your workouts intense, as opposed to just adding more exercises, rounds, or increasing the time spent on each movement.
