Furniture Sliders - Dirt Cheap Workout Equipment

Are you always on the go, and can't find a gym, or are the ones that you do find not quite up to snuff? If you normally work out at home, and have limited access to heavy equipment, what can you use to add to your répertoire?

Look no further than furniture sliders! One of my favorite pieces of budget equipment, I keep a pair around the house, in the car, and always make sure to carry them on trips.

You may notice at your local sporting goods store a version made specifically for exercise, but don't waste your money, and just get a pack of these. They are pretty much the same thing if not better, since the surface area is larger. The going rate is roughly $12-15 for a set of four.

Once you have mastered the basic movements, there is a plethora of variations you can add to change things up. Have a blast!

Stocking Stuffers for a Fitness Friend

So, you have a friend who is into fitness, or perhaps one who isn’t, but you’d like to get him/her started. Your budget is somewhat limited, so what would make for the perfect holiday gift? Obviously, any fancy equipment or memberships are out of the question, so likely something for home usage would be ideal.

I’ll just make this quick and simple. These two items I am about to list are not only affordable, but are essential pieces of equipment that everyone - beginners and professionals alike - should include as part of their arsenal.

1. Do-It-Yourself Parallettes - For way less than $10, with maybe 30 minutes tops of getting your hands dirty, you will provide your loved one with one of the single most beneficial pieces of equipment money can buy. With these parallettes, you can perform progressions for such moves as the handstand, handstand push up, planche, L-sit/V-sit, etc. Of course, if one is just starting out, the push up, dip, and other foundation movements can also be performed.

2. Furniture Slides - Say what? Those things you slip under coaches and tables to help move them around the house? Yes, you read that right. If you are not convinced that these sliders are one of the most affordable, effective, pound-for-pound best workout apparatuses, look no further than this video from our good friend Ross Enamait. You can also find sliders marketed solely for exercise, but these are often overpriced, and you are basically paying extra for branding. Save the money, and get these instead. Also, if all else fails, paper plates work as well!

In closing, give your friends and family the gift of fitness (on a budget) this holiday season, and they will be more than thankful.

10 minutes to a 10 physique

I know it is almost cliché to talk about quick fix workouts for those with limited time, but I am a firm believer that in order to obtain and maintain a fit and stellar physique, there is certainly no need to be be killing yourself for hours on end at the gym. Along with the aforementioned Tabata Method,  this is definitely one of my favorite no frills, no hassle workouts, and often used in my rotation. Basically, it is based on Ross Emanait's "No Excuses" system, and all it takes is 10 minutes per day.

In a nutshell, you choose four calisthenics exercises that you can do comfortably, yet are still somewhat challenging. I typically like push ups, burpees, squats, pistols, handstands, pull ups, and muscle ups, but you can also do running in place, box jumps, planks, mountain climbers, shadow boxing, etc. You should preferably have enough variation to make for a full body workout, so try to include both the upper and lower body. These four exercises shall be performed in this manner, with no breaks:

Round 1: Each exercise 1 min = 4 mins
Round 2: Each exercise 45 secs = 3 mins
Round 3: Each exercise 30 secs = 2 mins
Round 4: Each exercise 15 secs = 1 min
Total elapsed time = 10 mins

And there you have it! 10 minutes to a lean, mean physique using nothing but bodyweight exercises. Oh, and did I mention that you do this all nonstop? Of course, this would be the ideal, but if you need to catch your breath or if you get stuck on an exercise, by all means, take a quick break, but just make sure it's not too long! And as mentioned earlier, don't pick movements that are way too easy, nor ones that will have you gasping for air in a matter of seconds!

An alternate pattern I like to use is this:

Round 1: Each exercise 1 min = 4 mins
Round 2: Each exercise 1 min = 4 mins
Round 3: Each exercise 30 secs = 2 mins
Total elapsed time = 10 mins

This one sometimes works better than the first because in Round 4, 15 seconds apiece is sometimes not enough time, considering that it usually takes a few seconds to switch from exercise to exercise.

I normally like to perform this first thing in the morning as the perfect way to kick off the day. Start off doing this 3 times per week, or if you are game, you can even go every single day as long as you switch things up. Prepare to get psyched up physically and mentally for work or school every morning!