DIY Fitness Equipment | Well and Wise

Posted by hclibrary on Sep 8, 2011 in Fitness | 0 comments

by Matthew Hall

Money is tight right now for a lot of people, myself included. Unfortunately, this can be bad news for our health and fitness goals because many would rather forfeit a gym membership than cable television. Being the crafty person that I am (my wife would call it ?cheap?), I began to seek out Do-It-Yourself fitness equipment ideas. Here is one that I came up with, along with a sample workout to try.

20 lb Medicine Ball
?Their? Cost: $80+
My cost: $7
Difficulty: Very Easy

Materials Needed: Play sand ($3 at Lowe?s), basketball (any size, some may want a youth-sized ball), ball pump, knife, kitchen funnel, radial tire patch kit ($2-5).

Method:
I actually borrowed a worn out basketball from my mother-in-law (hopefully she doesn?t want it back; it seems to bounce a little less these days).
1. Remove the needle from the ball pump and place it in the hole you typically use to inflate the ball, thus deflating it.
2. Remove the needle.
3. Now take the knife, place it on the opposite pole from the hole where you inserted the needle, and twist the point into the ball, making a small hole (as small as possible while being able to fit funnel tip inside).
4. When hole is made, place funnel tip in the hole and fill with sand. I wanted mine to be as heavy as possible, so I filled the ball completely. If you want it to be lighter, it is helpful to keep a scale with you so you can weight the ball as you fill it.
5. Once you reach the desired weight, follow the directions on your tire patch kit to patch the ?? ?hole made for the funnel. Once that dries, inflate the ball to return it to its circular shape. Done!

Sample Workout:

Perform circuit 3-5 times. 30 Seconds-1 minute (or more, if needed) rest between exercises, 1-2 minutes (or more) between circuits.
1. Overhead Throw and Sprint: 50 Yards
2. Keg Toss: 50 Yards (like squat throw #2 on this chart, but instead of throwing ball up, throw it forward)
3. Lunge: 15 steps
4. Push up with hands on Ball: 8-12 for at least the first 2 circuits, do as many as possible on the last circuit (which can be your 3rd, 4th, or 5th circuit)
5. Overhead Squat: 8-12 for at least the first 2 circuits, do as many as possible on the last circuit (which can be your 3rd, 4th, or 5th circuit)
6. Plank with Hands on Ball: try for 60 seconds total, take breaks if necessary

Matthew Hall is currently an Operations Specialist for Howard County Library System and a student at Liberty University.

He spends the majority of his free time with his wife and kids. His interests include religious studies, psychology, and fitness.

hocoblogs@@@

Source: http://hocowellandwise.org/2011/09/diy-fitness-equipment/

igp igp tribune tribune miley cyrus miley cyrus giant