Homemade Weights

Resources Needed: Bottles that are easy to hold. Filers for bottles such as sand, rice, rocks, rice, beans, or even water.

Instructions: This is an eco-friendly and cost-effective way to make your own resistance weights for strength training.   Simply take an empty bottle and fill it with items like sand, rice, rocks, rice, beans, or even water. It may be a good idea to put duct tape around the lid to keep the bottle from coming open during activity and spilling its contents. Keep in mind that rocks or sand are heavier than something like rice, and the bigger the bottle the more the weight.   It is also important to make sure that if a participant is using two hand weights simultaneously they need to be as close to the same weight as possible for an equal amount of work on both sides of the body.

Some participants may even enjoy decorating their handmade weights. You can do this with markers, stickers, or decorative tape. A good idea would be to decorate the bottles with motivating words or quotes.

Alternatives: You can also use jugs with a handle for individuals who may struggle with the grip on thicker bottles. If you aren’t feeling crafty you can also use items such as soup cans as your hand weights.