poor man's workout equipment

[zendeath2000]

There comes a time when the martial artist just cannot afford to get an expensive yearly membership to his local gym. There has been some talk on the forums in the past about workout routines that require no equipment or cheap versions of popular training items. As a project in one of my health classes in college, we were tasked to invent an exercise routine for the poor college student or landlocked house mouse without using any modern gym equipment and still have positive gains. Part of the task was to perform this routine for 2 months documenting results. This is what i did:
SUPPLIES: 2 32inch bicycle tubing ($3each), 2 5 gallon buckets with lids(donated from construction site), 2 empty milk jugs($2.99 or donated), 1 sturdy chair or flat bench(donated), 8 o/d-ring wall screws(Lowes $2.50 for 8), 2 used toilet paper rolls (donated), 1 roll duct tape ($3), 8 o-ring wall screws ($2.50 for 8 Lowes)

SET UP: 1) fill milk jugs and buckets (dirt for best results, less mess in case of accidental opening) and seal using duct tape or strong glue of some sort 2) slice toilet paper rolls length ways and layer the interior and exterior with duct tape to make handles firm enough to not collapse around grip but can easily be slipped over or have something slip through 3) place 2 rings in the ceiling (about 3-4 feet from the wall), 2 about 4 feet apart 1 foot from the ceiling, 2 waist high, and 2 1 foot from the floor *ensure the wall studs and ceiling is strong enough before starting workout* 4) place bench or chair below and between ceiling rings 5) cut off inner-tube valve and seal with a patch or use duct tape.

EXERCISES:
*various exercise routines can be utilized in place of what i am posting; i used this as an example. also doubling the band by placing it in the center of the ring and then grabbing the 2 ends increases resistance.*
Legs 1) single leg step ups 3x15 2) deep lunges 3x15 3) bench squats (grab the 5 gallon and hold in front as you squat 3x15 4)conventional dead lift (both 5 gallon for each hand)3x15 5)sumo dead lift (both5 gallon in center) 3x15 6)leg curls (place the inner-tubes in the lower rings and secure them to the ankles so they will not slip while curling)
Chest 1) bench press (use the 5 gallon for weight and the tube for added resistance) 5x15 2)flat bench flys 3x15 3)upright flys (use the tube for resistance at teh middle hooks and the milk jugs for weight) 3x15-20 4) bent over flys (upper most hooks, not ceiling)3x15 5) bench push ups (feet on bench and push up) 3x failure
Back 1) low rows (milk jugs and tubes on lower rings) 3x15 2) alternating pull downs (tubes in ceiling hooks) 3x 25 each arm 3) pull downs (lay down on back and pull) 3x15
Biceps 1) alternating curls(milk jugs and tube on bottom rings) 3x15-20 each arm 2)standing concentreation curls (5 gallon and tubes) 3x15 3)seated curls (5 gallon only)3x15
Triceps 1) over head extensions (milk and tube) 3x15 2)press downs (tubes in ceiling) 3x20 3) single arm kick backs (milk and tube lower ring) 3x15 4)dips (feet on chair and hands on buckets) 3x failure
Shoulders 1) seated military press (1 5 gallon above head then lower to chest) 3x 15 2) side lateral raises (milk and tube or 5 gallon in each hand) 3x 10-20 3) bent over rear flys (milk and tube on lower ring) 3x15-20

More to come!

[zendeath2000]

core 1) 5 gallon trunk twists (bands around elbows for quicker movements and some added resistance) 2) good mornings (hold 5 gallon against chest and go from bent over to standing upright and return to bent over) 3) sit up (self explainitory add weight were needed) 4) bench knee ups (place bands around ankles and pull knees to chest hold for 2 seconds and relax)

This was just a list of exercises and a program was the follow up project (include 30-45 min. cardio, 4 day workout program, and 15 min cool down). There in was an entirely different chore... but that is a different story.

[rsobrien]

Part of the task was to perform this routine for 2 months documenting results. This is what i did:

How di you determine the results? Did you have subject A work in a gym following a similar program and have subject B work using the equipment you devised?

This sounds like a really interesting project. The only problem I see is lack of progressive resistance or at least the ease of swapping plates off a wrack as opposed to messing with milk jugs.

[nomamao]

I don't know why you just didn't use bodyweight exercises.

it's a hell of a lot cheaper.

[zendeath2000]

yeah it would have been cheaper and a lot less hassle if i did bodyweight exercises but the task was to find a cheap alternative to the gym equipment and have the same or better results.
Actually i used 5 people. 1 male and female per group (thats all i could find that was willing to do the work and to top it off i had to provide the materials for the home-bodies)
group 1 was the home people, group 2 was the gym-rats, and then the control group. Each was put on a strict diet and everyone ate the same food at the same time. They were measured in dimensions, weight, and photo before and after. If i would have had more time or funding i would analize the urine and blood but that would have gone way into the extreme. It wasn't a controled environment but they exercised at the same times of day, ate at the same time, weight morning and night, as well as measured every 3 days. a survey was taken each week for mental results(like stress level, positive gains, ease of workout,ect.)
The results were *mind you this is summarized*
Group 1 felt more like they had worked harder and there for apreciated the results (they also dropped 2inches in the waist and gained 10 pounds in mass). Group 2 felt comfortable around the equipment cause it was already prepard and therefore found it easier to slide into a routine, but social interaction impeded work environment (talked too much or waited too long for use of equipment. lost 1 1/2 inches in the waist and gained 7 3/4 pounds mass). The control group stayed the same in apearance but fluctuated in weight (+- 15 pounds).

[black mariah]

I don't know why you just didn't use bodyweight exercises.

it's a hell of a lot cheaper.

Bodyweight curls don't exactly work, Sparky.

[nomamao]

Bodyweight curls don't exactly work, Sparky.

what?

Pull-ups and chin-ups don't work? And, one-armed pull-ups do absolutely NOTHING for your body, huh?

That makes TOTAL and COMPLETE sense.


Explain... OR…

Have fun in La-La land.

[Myoken]

what?

Pull-ups and chin-ups don't work? And, one-armed pull-ups do absolutely NOTHING for your body, huh?

That makes TOTAL and COMPLETE sense.


Explain... OR…

Have fun in La-La land.

Outside of la-la land, it really all depends on how much you want to isolate the muscles. Isolation used to be the thing, now the trend is toward functional strengthening. Is there evidence pointing one way or the other? No great studies, but I think a little common sense can be applied. If you're an IFBB wannabe, then isolation is where it's at. If you're an MA, then do functional strengthening, and bodyweight resistance training works great for that.

At least that's what I tell my patients, and THE DOCTOR IS ALWAYS RIGHT. DAMMIT.

[nomamao]

I was thinking the same thing, for fighting bodyweight exercise can get the job done, it's HOW HARD you work, for those gains you want.

That's it.

Thanks.

[Emevas]

Listen to fish on trainforstrength.com