So, I've been without a gym membership for a couple of years now. At first it was because I wanted to save money, then I was traveling, now, I pretty much don't need it. One of my favourite pieces of equipment (I know, it is possible to get a badass workout using playground equipment and so on, but variety is the spice of life) is the mighty slosh pipe. It takes a little work to make, but it's capable of kicking your ass in a variety of ways.
1) Obtain a length of PVC pipe.
- The greater the diameter the harder it will be (both on your grip and because it's heavier). I suggest 2 inches if you're weak / broken / new to training. 3 inches if you're of decent fitness, 4 inches if you're in good shape or really want to work your grip, and 5 inches if you're a powerlifter / strongman type.
- The greater the length the harder it will be (both because the water will slosh more violently and because of the weight. 6 feet is the shortest I'd go and much over 10 foot starts getting too unwieldy).
2) Cap one of the ends (pvc glue, pipe cap, pretty simple stuff, I'm not going to insult your intelligence)
3) About two thirds fill it with water. If you're a nerd you can calculate the volume of the cylinder and measure the appropriate quantity of water in, otherwise just eyeball it.
3a) add a couple capfulls of bleach (helps stop it smelling bad).
4) Cap the other end.
5) Use it instead of a barbell for circuits, or just pick it up and go for a walk. You'll quickly notice that it's really rather unstable. Even though it doesn't weigh much, once it starts tilting and the water starts moving, you're going to have to fight it to keep control. This will help develop core strength and joint stability and all that good stuff.
Today I did the following workout (made up on the fly) in a 2 mins on 1 min rest system.
Overhead squats
Bent over rows
Front squats
Floor press
Zercher squat
overhead press / Push press
Deadlift
Bicep curl (gotta work the gunz broseph)
Backsquat.
Aaaand we're done. Tomorrow I might just take it for a walk (held overhead) or put it on my shoulders and do lunges until I collapse.
Even if you have to buy everything from the hardware store it still works out pretty cheap.
All the obvious disclaimers apply, I'm not a doctor or exercise professional (hell I don't even have a six pack) do this at your own risk, etc.
