No Gym? No Problem: How to Use Household Items for At-Home Workouts

Missing the gym can be frustrating, especially when you’re used to having a full rack of weights and specialized equipment at your disposal. But at Citizen Athletics, we believe that being an athlete is about adaptability. You don’t need a commercial facility to build strength, power, and movement efficiency, you just need a little creativity.

If you’re stuck at home, your house is already filled with potential “gym equipment.” Here is how to turn everyday items into effective training tools.

1. The Heavy Hitters: Laundry Detergent & Hampers

One of the easiest ways to add load is to look for items with built-in handles.

• Laundry Detergent: These function almost exactly like a dumbbell or kettlebell. You can use them for single-arm rows, curls, or even kettlebell swings.
• Laundry Hampers: If you need more weight than a single bottle, grab your laundry hamper. It mimics a barbell or two heavy dumbbells, making it perfect for bent-over rows and deadlifts. You can easily adjust the weight by adding more clothes or books to the basket.

2. Small Weights: Canned Goods

For accessory movements that require lighter loads, your pantry is your best friend. Canned goods serve as excellent light dumbbells for exercises like:

• Lateral raises
• Shoulder presses
• Rear delt flies

3. The Ultimate Loading Tool: The Backpack

If you want to perform lower-body movements like split squats but find body weight too easy, grab a backpack. You can wear it on your back for traditional loading or on your front for a “goblet” style stimulus. The best part? You can infinitely scale the weight by filling it with books, water bottles, or canned goods.

4. Furniture as Equipment: Couches, Chairs, & Tables

Your furniture can replace benches, boxes, and even pull-up bars:

• The Couch: Perfect for rear-foot elevated split squats or hip thrusts.
• Chairs: Use a sturdy chair for step-ups or box squats.
• The Kitchen Table: You can perform inverted rows by hanging underneath a sturdy table, gripping the edges, and pulling your chest toward the surface.
• Countertops: If you struggle with standard push-ups, use the edge of a counter to perform incline push-ups, making the movement more accessible.

5. Improvised Sliders: Towels & Tupperware

You don’t need fancy “gliders” for core or leg work.

• On Hardwood/Tile: Use hand towels to perform mountain climbers, lunges, or ab-wheel style rollouts.
• On Carpet: Tupperware lids work effectively as sliders on carpeted surfaces.

6. The DIY Suspension Trainer: Bed Sheets

If you’re used to TRX or rings, you can recreate the experience with a bed sheet or pillowcases. By tying a knot at one end and tossing it over the top of a door before closing it securely, you create a stable anchor point for rows and other suspension exercises.

Elevate Your Training

Adaptability is a hallmark of a great athlete, but having a structured plan is what leads to long-term results. Whether you’re at the gym or at home, we have a program for you.

• Built for Athletics: Designed to build strength, power, and movement efficiency through high-level programming.
• Sustainable Strength: Our flagship program, perfect for busy people who still want to move, lift, and perform like athletes on a realistic schedule.

Watch the Full Guide

See these household hacks in action by watching the full video here.