HACK YOUR WAY TO FRUGAL FITNESS WORKOUTS WITH THESE TIPS

Are you looking to achieve a toned, fit body without breaking the bank? .Yoga and Pilates classes, personal trainers and gym memberships are often expensive and not affordable for everyone. For parents, going to the gym means having to worry about childcare, therefore adding another expense.  Just because you don’t have a fat wallet does not mean you can’t get buff.  

The following are budget friendly at home fitness tips from Gerald Mayes, a certified fitness trainer with www.vshred.com

HERE ARE THE HACKS:

Use soup cans for weights.

Gerald Mayes says that “You can do any triceps or biceps exercise at home using cans of soup that you'd do at the gym with dumbbells. To properly gauge the weight, don't go by the ounces listed on the can -- that's liquid weight. Instead, weigh the cans on your scale to figure out the poundage that's best for you.”

Use jugs as weights.

Fill a household bucket or jug with water (or sand, rock salt, or powdered detergent) and secure the top with duct tape. Lift it up and down in front of you as you do squats.

Substitute paper plates for body sculpting equipment.

“The key here,” Gerald says, “is to use the plates to help your body slide on a carpet. This allows you to do body sculpting moves that would ordinarily require workout equipment. You can do the sliding lunge (put the paper plate under one foot and lunge forward). Try simulating skating to work your butt and thighs -- just attach the plates to your feet with rubber bands and slide away. Or, get down on all fours, put the plates under your hands, and use them to work your chest by sliding your arms back and forth.”

Substitute a countertop for a push-up bench.

In most homes, at least one countertop, either in the kitchen or the bath, is the right height for a push-up. Put both hands on the countertop, extend your legs behind you at an angle, lean down into the counter, and then push back up.

Substitute pantyhose for resistance bands.

“Almost any exercise you can do with a resistance band, you can do with old pantyhose or tights,” says Gerald.  For example, sitting on the floor with your legs straight, loop a pair of pantyhose around the balls of your feet and pull back with both hands as if you are using a rowing machine.

A fitness ball.

Sometimes called a stability ball, looks like a large beach ball. You can do many core exercises, including abdominal crunches, with a fitness ball. You can also use a fitness ball to improve your flexibility and balance.

Kettlebell.

A kettlebell is a round weight with the handle attached at the top. A kettlebell can be used to do strength-training exercises and to help improve grip strength. Kettlebells are available in many sizes.

Jump-ropes.

Skipping rope can be a great cardiovascular workout.

Resistance tubing.

These stretchy tubes offer weight-like resistance when you pull on them. Use the tubes to build strength in your arms and other muscles. Choose from varying degrees of resistance, depending on your fitness level.

Chair or step stool. Use a chair for support when doing exercises such as leg curls. A low, sturdy step stool can become exercise equipment if you use it for step training — an aerobic exercise resembling stair climbing.

Towels

Make your waist-whittling planks more effective with towels says Gerald . Take two and place them under your hands or feet, then move forward, backward and sideways.

Clean Sweep

This one’s easy: You can burn 80 calories every 20 minutes of sweeping. Pull out the broom and get to sweeping every corner of your house or apartment. How’s that for multitasking?

Laundry Twist

Gerald says,  “Sit next to a full basket of laundry and twist to grab an item from the basket. Twist to the other side to lay it on a pile. Continue until your laundry is finished.”

Become a member of an online fitness platform

Vshred.com guides users to the very best program for their body type and fitness goals while giving them some amazing tips they can use that day in a video and then offers them a program that's perfect for them if they don't want to do it themselves.  

About V Shred

V Shred is a leading brand encompassing online fitness, nutrition, personalized training products, and related services. With millions of YouTube viewers and 600,000+ inspired clients worldwide, we know people are busy, so our goal is to make fitness fun and effective in the shortest amount of time possible!

We offer a variety of guided programs and custom diet plans, including personalized fitness training from top-tier trainers, to help our customers achieve real, attainable results. We pride ourselves aligning our customers' ideal health and fitness goals with proven programs to make a positive impact on the way they look and feel.

Gerald Mayes Trainer Bio

Gerald Mayes, a married father of 4 is a V Shred Lead Trainer, a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and sat on the Nevada State Board. He is also a certified Health Coach through the American Council on Exercise (ACE) where he writes the certification curriculum. After being honorably discharged in 2010, Gerald gained a significant amount of weight going from 177 to 301 in a year. After hitting a low in his life, knowing his health would only spiral down further, Gerald met a trainer who helped guide him towards adopting a healthy lifestyle. After achieving his result, he knew he wanted to do the same for others. Over the next few years, he dedicated himself to learning as much as he could about health and fitness earning him an Associates in Personal Training, a bachelor’s degree in Public Health and a Master's Degree in Sports in Health Science and worked his way up to one of V Shred’s lead trainers!

Today Gerald’s many clients include everyone from fellow Marines and other members of the Armed Forces who often return from service in need of support when transitioning into civilian life to stay at home moms who want to get back in shape despite having a hectic schedule.


Disclosure:  This was posted with permission.