Uncommon Training For An Uncommon Time

4/8/2020

As we head into the next week of social distancing, you might be getting tired of bodyweight-only training. That being said, you do not have access to a sweet garage gym to use. Options seem limited, but I'm here to tell you that you have more resources available than you think.

Goals for today...

Expose you to new ideas on how to load movement due to today's social distancing tactics.
Grow your ability to adapt your training to fit your life needs.
Grow this as a resource that can be utilized whenever you're equipment strapped.

We are going to look at four main equipment options. These options include a water jug, backpack, bucket, and garage rafters. Each segment will include a video demonstration on how to use the piece of equipment and exercises you could complete with that piece of equipment.

Keep in mind that this is the tip of the iceberg! With the right mentality and creativity, you can easily complete an effective full-body routine with these household items.

Water Jug

Typically an unopened gallon of water will weigh about 8 lbs. Depending on your training level, this could range from super light to super challenging, so operate within your ability levels. The water jug is going to be a great choice smaller muscle group movements, core exercises, and more. The water moving around also adds a nice stability component to any movement. You can also fill the water jug with sand or rocks to increase the weight. Just remember to seal the lid to avoid a mess!

Exercise Ideas

You can sub in the water jug for any of these movements.

Backpack

This is the most versatile piece of equipment out of the four options listed in this blog. I recommend using a very sturdy backpack for this. You can adjust the weight by adding things like books, cans of soup, rocks, etc.. to have a wide range of loads. The backpack also allows for anterior and posterior loading of your body.

Exercise Ideas

You can sub in the backpack for any of these movements.

Bucket

In this video, I'm using a five-gallon bucket filled with water. Just with water, you are looking at around 40 lbs of load. You can also sub out the metal handle for a sturdy piece of rope by carving some bigger holes in the side of the bucket. With this modification, you can load the bucket with rocks, sand, and other dense material to ramp things up. This is a great tool to load some of your bigger movements like squats, lunges, and deadlifts.

Exercise Ideas

You can sub in a bucket for any of these movements.

Garage Rafters/Tree/Railing

Vertical pulling motions (ex. pull-ups) are one of the toughest to repeat in a gym-less environment. If you do not have access to a door-mounted pull-up bar or some other option, garage rafters work really well. If you do not have a garage, find a sturdy tree. In certain cases, the railings to stairs will offer you an option to complete some assisted pull-up variations.

The goal is not to be perfect here, it is to give you an option!

Exercise Ideas

You can replicate these pulling motions with your garage rafters, a tree, or a railing.

Take this time to let your training creativity flourish. You will find that progress is possible, even without the fancy training facility. It is also a nice mental break from everything else going on in the world.

Improve your movement

While you are out of your normal routine, it is a great time to work on all of the movement limitations that have hampered your progress over the years. Dedicating 15-minutes a day to a simple movement routine can make a world of difference. If you do not know where to start, enroll in our free 10-day movement challenge to receive guided routines sent to your inbox each day for the next 10-days. You will unlock access to video demonstrations and instructional points to get the most out of your movement routine.

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