Work out using toilet rolls and other items from home if you want to avoid the gym during this coronavirus outbreak

The coronavirus outbreak has disrupted our daily lives and even our fitness routine has not been spared. Gyms in Singapore have been advised to cut down on the number of patrons as part of MOH's social distancing measures. 

If you're one of those gym rats who have been affected by the new implementations or are stuck at home on self-quarantine, here are some creative ways to use everyday items to work out at home, sans the membership fees and pricey equipment. 

Treadmill with soap and water

Quarantined? No treadmill? Say no more. Not recommended for married men. pic.twitter.com/0erCkFNx5H

— jamie (@gnuman1979) March 17, 2020

This quick hack has been making its rounds on the internet with people trying to make their own treadmill by pouring soap on the floor, with a sprinkling of water. 

As advised by Twitter user @gnuman1979, it is "not recommended for married men", and he's right about that because just thinking about cleaning up the foam that will cover the entire kitchen floor is already driving me crazy.

Here's a tip, try it out in the shower instead. You can take a bath right after that and the foam gets washed off as well, but you'll want to be extra careful not to slip and fall if you're trying this out. 

Rice packets and squats

Were you one of those who fell back into your panic-hoarding tendencies after the announcement of Malaysia's lockdown on Monday (March 16)? Now, what are you going to do with those bags of rice?

One way to make use of those unopened sacks is to use them in lieu of dumbells. A fitspo colleague suggested hugging the bag of rice while doing squats, as the weight will create some form of resistance.

Remember to close your door while exercising so your neighbours don't see you hugging the rice sack though, or they may think you've gone cuckoo from the pandemic.

Toilet paper plank stacks

Another thing that people tend to hoard is toilet paper. So instead of leaving it in the storeroom and letting it get mouldy, use it as part of your exercise routine. 

Personal trainer Kaisa Keranen suggests stacking three to four rolls of toilet paper atop each other on your right side, then go into a plank position. Using your right hand, take one of the rolls and stack them on the left side. Repeat this until all toilet rolls are stacked on the other side. 

Beer or wine bottles for arm curls

If you have a couple of unopened beer or wine bottles at home, they make pretty good lightweight dumbells that can be used for arm curls. 

Reddit user Denegroth suggests to casually lift the bottle to your lips and back down again — and that's counted as one arm curl. Repeat 10 times for three reps to tone up your biceps.

There's beer yoga, so why not beer workouts? 

Bag and books for bicep gains

@fitcameron

Home Bicep Workout ?, all you need is ? and ? ##bicepgains ##quarantineinhome ##quarantine ##biceppump ##gymathome ##fitnessfreak ##forupage ##athome

♬ Wicked - Future

Another way to get bicep gains without the use of dumbells is by packing books into a backpack. If you're a student, choose the thickest textbooks to up the challenge.

Following TikTok user @fitcameron's demonstration, hold on to the top handle of the bag to do your bicep curls and hammer curls. Then hold the bag on the side to clock in some prisoner curls.

You can also lift it above your head to do 20 reps of shoulder presses to target your triceps, traps and upper body.

Towel as an ab roller

Crush your abs by rolling up a towel and laying it on the floor like you would with an ab roller. Begin gliding it on the floor and rolling out into a plank position. 

As the towel will have slightly less friction with the floor, you will have to engage your core to maintain your balance.

Laundry detergent as kettlebell 

Ah, I've been wanting to get myself a kettlebell. I guess I'll be saving me some money by using the laundry detergent bottle instead. 

If your laundry detergent doesn't come with a handle in the bottle, you can replace it with plastic milk bottles that can be easily found in supermarkets.

Grab the handles and swing the bottle in between your legs, making sure you squeeze your glutes while thrusting your hips forward.

Get down to doing single-arm rows as well by standing with one leg forward, bending at a 45-degree angle while pulling the bottle to the side of your ribcage and squeezing your shoulder blades.   

ALSO READ: Coronavirus: Man runs ultra-marathon in apartment as China fights virus with exercise

melissagoh@asiaone.com