SAVE $350 By DIY Resistance Training Creativity (Some Thinking Required)

DIY Methods to Save Money on Your Home Gym

$5 bag of sand and some duct tape. DIY Sandbag

During times of gym closures, deployments, and other situations when you have to either replace all your training with calisthenics and cardio or start thinking about getting in some weighted resistance training. If you use some good old-fashioned ingenuity, you can create some heavier training options to replace all the classic lifts.  Here are some specifics to help you along the journey to thinking out of the box or just lifting it...

Some Easy Options

I call this the Trinity of the Home Gym:  TRX, Weight Vest, and Dumbbells.

With these three items, you can mix in a wide variety to not only replace some of the movements of the big three (bench, deadlift, squats), but also many other movements. 

TRX - If you are not familiar with the TRX, or suspension training, check out the TRX website or just go to YouTube and search "TRX exercises".  There you will find countless ideas of how to use the TRX for beginner- to advanced-level exercises. YOU CAN ALSO SAVE A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS BY GETTING RACKET STRAPS AND PVC PIPE FOR HANDLES IF YOU WANT TO BUILD YOUR OWN.

  
   

Dumbbells or Kettlebells - There are countless movements you can use with these devices that you cannot do with a barbell, but you can use these pieces of equipment to replace some of the movements done on the barbell.  Maybe you just have to add some repetitions to get the same amount of work with the lighter loads, but you can do just about everything with these.  Don't have a bench?  Do bench press on the floor or on an aerobics step, or on a balance ball, even for a great challenge.  Try goblet squats or deficit squats to get deep into the squat position. Learn how to use these effectively and you may not go back to barbells for a while. 

  

A weight vest is a tool that is great for adding more strength training to your calisthenics.  Your repetitions will be reduced, but your effort level will increase by adding weight, especially to the "heavyweights of calisthenics" - pull-ups and dips!
You cannot go wrong with the classic calisthenics either. But you can even make them harder by adding a weight vest, even though you reduce your reps per set.  Get a weight vest with sturdy D-rings, and you have a great tow harness too.  Check out Calisthenics and Cardio - No Equipment Needed Guide For Body Weight Exercisers, and it may be a good option for people of all fitness levels to stay home or get outside and train.



Add dumbbells or other weight to your squats, lunges, and deadlift movements to round out a great leg day. 

Don't Forget Sandbags

These are a classic weight replacement and can be found just about anywhere.  You can make your own from a 50lb bag of play sand and duct tape AND save $100-150. We call these Sand Babies, as you have to be gentle with them.  But for a reasonable investment, you can get hardcore bags built to throw, drag, and drop.  Brute Force Sandbags are great and the brand in my home gym.  

Don't Forget Hills, Soft Sand, or Stairs

Adding these common areas to your training will enhance any leg day, whether you do it with a weight vest, hand-carried dumbbells (farmer walk), or just your own body weight.  Work the legs extra by adding hills, soft sand walks/runs, bleachers/stairs.  If you can swim (open water) add fins and just flutterkick in the water to top off any leg day. 

  

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