October 17, 2013, by Ben Read

The Urban Gym

Are you on a typically tight student budget? Are you appalled at the price of membership to local gyms? Then look no further, the home made Urban Gym is the answer to all your financially limited fitness regime problems.

All you need is some simple, easily available items and you are good to go. I found these things in the garden of my student house. Here’s the Urban Gym’s full body workout…

1. Bicep Curls – with elbows to sides, raise bar. Lower to original position and repeat.

2. Upright Rows – grasp bar with shoulder width or slightly narrower overhand grip. Pull bar to neck with elbows leading. Good for your ‘Traps’ and ‘Delts’.

3. (Brick) Bench Press – Lower weight to mid-chest. Press upward until arms are extended. Repeat. Great for your ‘Pecs’!

4. Tricep Dips – arms straight with shoulders above hands.  Keep hips and knees straight. Lower body until slight stretch is felt in shoulders. Push body up until arms are straight. Repeat. You’ll have big ‘Tris’ in no time.

5. Squats – position bar brick on back of shoulders and stand with shoulder width stance. Bend knees forward while allowing hips to bend back behind, keeping back straight and knees pointed same direction as feet. Descend until thighs are just past parallel to floor. Extend knees and hips until legs are straight. Return and repeat. Beefier legs in just a few sets!

6. Calf Raises – Raise heels by extending ankles as high as possible. Lower heels by bending ankles until calves are stretched. Repeat.

7.  Sit-Ups – Hook feet under foot brace or secure low overhang. Raise torso  from bench by bending waist and hips. Return until back of shoulders contact incline board. Repeat. Those washboard abs will be on their way!

That is the Urban Gym full body workout. I suggest performing the exercises in sets of 3-4 and 3-4 times a week to see maximum results!

Some health and safety warnings first though. Splinters are a regularly occurrence and shoes must be worn at all times due to the huge amount of broken glass on the floor. Oh yeah, and watch out for the nails in the bars…

I’d like to thank Jack, my housemate for demonstrating the exercises, as you can see the workout has had a tremendous effect on him. Until next week, happy Urban Gyming!

 

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