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Emery Pearson
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1 Many people who want to exercise but don't often say lack of equipment or access to a gym is the reason. In essence, it is the lack of knowledge of how to use everyday items around the house to exercise with that is limiting them. The following is a discussion of everyday items found in almost every household that can be used as exercise equipment. This list is divided into two sections: Copyright BetterU, Inc Click Here To Visit Us Online Now! BetterU@fitstep.com

2 Sign up for BetterU News! Get powerful, innovative health, fitness, fat loss and training information delivered straight to your mailbox FREE! Send an to with the word "subscribe" in the subject line. This category lists ideas for items that you can use as resistance in your training programs. Your Body: This is the primary resistance available to everybody (no pun intended). Bodyweight exercises are among the most effective exercises there are. Knowing how to orient your body and use other items to help take advantage of bodyweight can be extremely effective. Dumbells: Though this is technically not an improvised item, it is a very useful purchase as the number of exercises you can do with a simple set of dumbells is enormous. You can purchase an inexpensive set of dumbells at any sporting goods store or even at garage sales. Adjustable dumbells are a better investment than solid-cast dumbells as this makes it possible to adjust the weight to your needs rather than being limited by a pre-set weight. Milk Jugs:

Empty milk jugs are perfect for resistance training. They can be the one-gallon/four-liter size or the half-gallon/two-liter size (depending on how much resistance you wish to have).

3 Empty milk jugs are perfect for resistance training. They can be the one-gallon/four-liter size or the half-gallon/two-liter size (depending on how much resistance you wish to have). Simply fill the jug up with water and voila! You have a dumbell. How high you fill the jug will determine how heavy your dumbell is (be aware that water will slosh if the jug is not full). A full gallon of water weighs about eight pounds. If you need more resistance than what can be supplied by water, try filling the jug up with sand or dirt. If you want it even heavier, gravel will work also. Buckets: This can be anything from a mop bucket to a child's sand bucket (make sure it has a sturdy handle). Simply fill it up with something, e.g. cans or books or even sand or rocks. Duffel Bags: The duffel bag is a useful resistance-holder. Fill the duffel bag up with books or cans or anything that has weight to it. The handles of the duffel bag make it ideal for exercise purposes. It's only drawback is its awkwardness and, in some exercises, the limiting effect it has on range of motion. Go to Page 2 of Resistance Home Resistance Apparatus Copyright BetterU, Inc Click Here To Visit Us Online Now! BetterU@fitstep.com

4 Sign up for BetterU News! Get powerful, innovative health, fitness, fat loss and training information delivered straight to your mailbox FREE! Send an to with the word "subscribe" in the subject line. Briefcases: Fill a briefcase up with heavy books and you have yourself resistance, complete with a handle. This is very useful for exercising at work. Simply keep some heavy books at your workplace and when you get a chance, put the books in and go. Some exercises you can do with the briefcase include: curls, kickbacks, one-arm rows, laterals, and lunges. Suitcases: A suitcase can be a very effective exercise implement, especially when you are travelling. A full suitcase can provide a good deal of resistance. The major drawback is the size and shape of the suitcase. Quite often this is not conducive to working out. You also may be limited by balance and range of motion. Exercises such as one-arm rows, curls, and calf raises can work well with a suitcase.

5 Backpacks: The backpack is very useful for doing leg exercises with, e.g. squats or lunges, as well as weighted push-ups. It allows you to keep your hands free to help balance as well as providing the capability for a great deal of resistance (depending on the size of your backpack). An advanced trainer may put sandbags inside a heavyduty backpack for leg training. This is a very effective technique to use even if you don't need to improvise equipment. Be sure to get a high-quality backpack if you are going to fill it with a good amount of resistance. You definitely don't want the straps to break or the bottom to fall out while you are in the middle of a set. Another Person: Having another person provide the resistance can be extremely useful. For example, if you can do a large number of push-ups and need more resistance, have a friend push down or sit on your back to increase the resistance. If you want to work your shoulders, raise your arms out wide to the side to the top position of a lateral and have your partner push down on your elbows while you resist. Bicycle Tire Tubes: The tire tube is essentially a big elastic band. The elastic band is very effective in providing resistance. All it needs is something to anchor to. This can be as easy as stepping on one end of it and doing curls, for example. Post-Script

6 Sign up for BetterU News! Get powerful, innovative health, fitness, fat loss and training information delivered straight to your mailbox FREE! Send an to with the word "subscribe" in the subject line. What you do the exercise on is just as important as what you do the exercise with. Here are some ideas that may work in your home. As a general rule with any of the things you use for apparatus, be sure it is solid! You will be placing bodyweight on these objects and they need to be solid enough to easily support you or you may compromise your safety. Benches: If you already have a bench, you are all set. The flat bench (be it wooden or upholstered) is a perfect starting point for a home exercise program. It does not necessarily have to be designed for weightlifting to be useful. If you have a wooden bench and find it uncomfortable to lie down on, simply place some cushions or a folded blanket on top. If you wish to do any incline work such as incline presses, you can place something (such as a book) underneath one end of the bench to raise the end up and make it an incline. Nearly any exercise that can be done on a gym flat bench can be done on a regular bench. Always be sure the bench is stable and can support extra weight. Chairs:

Chairs are found in almost every house. They are useful as a base for a wide variety of exercises. Anything seated can typically be done in a chair (e.g. seated shoulder press).

7 Chairs are found in almost every house. They are useful as a base for a wide variety of exercises. Anything seated can typically be done in a chair (e.g. seated shoulder press). Exercises such as bench dips can be done with your hands on the edge of a chair. Regular dips can be done in between two chairs. For most exercises, use chairs that do not have wheels. This is for stability reasons. Tables: The edge of a table can be used to hang onto or push off of. Ensure that the table is solid and will not break, buckle, or move while you are using it. It is often a good idea to brace the table up against a wall, especially if you will be pushing against it. This will help keep it from moving. Stairs: Stairs are perfect for doing calf raises on. Stairs that aren't carpeted are better for that purpose. Any exercise that requires a raised surface (for the feet especially) can be done with stairs. Go to Page 2 of Apparatus Home Resistance Apparatus Copyright BetterU, Inc Click Here To Visit Us Online Now! BetterU@fitstep.com

8 Sign up for BetterU News! Get powerful, innovative health, fitness, fat loss and training information delivered straight to your mailbox FREE! Send an to with the word "subscribe" in the subject line. Footstools and Ottomans: The footstool (preferably upholstered) can function as miniature bench upon which you can do many exercises that would require a flat bench. For example, you could do a bench press with just your upper back resting on the footstool. Any seated exercise can be done on a footstool as well. Rails: Rails are good for a variety of exercises and stretches. Make sure that they are sturdy enough to support your bodyweight before using them for any exercises though. Poles: Many basements in houses have solid metal poles as supports. These poles are good for exercises as well as stretching. You can loop towels around them and hold onto the ends of the towel to do many pulling exercises. Floor:

9 Everyone has a floor. Many exercises can only be done on the floor and many other exercises can be adapted to the floor. For example, if you don't have a bench, you can just lie on the floor and do bench presses. Your only concern will range of motion, however. Balls: Almost any type of ball (such as a soccer ball, volleyball or basketball) can be used for exercise purposes. You can do push-ups with your hands on them. You can lay over top of them and use them as a small exercise ball. Rafters: If your house has crossbeams or rafters in the basement, these can be used as chin-up bars. You can also set an iron bar across the top of the beams if they are poorly-shaped for gripping. Beds: A bed can be used as a bench for some exercises in a similar fashion to the floor. Be aware, however, that mattresses will spring a little as you are doing exercises on them. This can actually add an element of surprise to an exercise, which can be a good thing or a bad thing. Post-Script Copyright BetterU, Inc Click Here To Visit Us Online Now! BetterU@fitstep.com

10 Sign up for BetterU News! Get powerful, innovative health, fitness, fat loss and training information delivered straight to your mailbox FREE! Send an to with the word "subscribe" in the subject line. Imagination: Your imagination is the most powerful tool you can use. See what you have in your house and use it in whatever way you can. You are only limited by your imagination. If you think of something that hasn't been mentioned here, feel free to tell us about it at We are always interested in new and innovative ways to exercise. Home Resistance Apparatus Copyright BetterU, Inc Click Here To Visit Us Online Now!

E-GUIDE PULL UP ASSISTANCE BANDS

E-GUIDE PULL UP ASSISTANCE BANDS Contents About us 2 Product specifications Resistance bands Door anchor 3 4 Warm-up Push-ups 6 Biceps curl Pull-ups Squats Triceps pushdowns 8 Deadlifts Stretching Warnings