Just because you don’t have a weight set at home, that doesn’t mean you can’t get in a killer workout! You’d be amazed by all the items you can find around your house that make for a great addition to your exercises. Here are a few common household items you can easily incorporate into your workout right now.

1. Gallon Jugs — If you’ve got gallon-sized jugs of milk or juice, you’ll find they make great weights! They weigh around 8.33 pounds per gallon of liquid, so they’re great for your upper and lower body workouts. The best part about them is that you can empty them to make them lighter, or fill them all the way to the brim for the full weight. They’re available in every household, and you can fill them with heavier foods (canned beans, for example) to make them even heavier!
2. 5-Gallon Jugs — These are more common around the office (used for the watercooler), but for those who drink only bottled water, they’re handy to have. The fact that they’re filled with 5 gallons of water means they’ll weigh over 40 pounds, which is more than enough for a heavy workout. You can curl them, bench press them, military press them, or squat with the jug sitting on your shoulders. They’re large, heavy, and great to take things up a notch!
3. Cans — Cans come in all shapes and sizes, which means they come in a wide variety of weights as well. Your basic 8 to 12-ounce cans are ideal for lighter exercises (think lateral raises or core-focused movements), while the larger-sized cans (16, 24, or 36 ounces) can be used for heavier movements. You can also use larger cans to give you a raised platform for push-ups, or they can elevate your feet for deeper squats.
4. Your Child — Yes, that little rugrat running around you all day long can be a great addition to your workout. Your kids get heavier as they get older, so you’ll be able to increase your weight load as they grow. It may be tough, but if you can get them to stop squirming, they can be great for all sorts of resistance training workouts.
5. Chairs – Chairs are very handy for a number of movements. They’re a bit awkward to lift as weights, but they can make great dumbbells for curls and overhead presses. They’ll also come in handy for dips, box jumps, and step-ups, though make sure they’re sturdy enough to handle your weight!
6. Storage Items — All those boxes sitting in your garage or basement can finally be useful for something! You’d be surprised by how heavy some of those boxes can be, and they’ll make handy weights for lifting, pressing, and curling.
7. DIY Home Repair Items — Ever tried lifting a bag of cement or Quik-crete? They’re heavy! You’ll find the materials you need for that DIY home repair job can serve a double purpose as your workout equipment as well!

Who says you need weights to work out? Thanks to all this equipment you have around your house, you can get in a killer workout without ever touching a barbell or dumbbell!

[Image via Shutterstock]