Welcome to my second post in the series on working out with what you’ve got. In the first post we worked out using a rice bag and got an excellent full body workout. You can find that post here.

Today we are going to work out with soup cans. Technically, it doesn’t have to be soup. It could be canned vegetables or canned sauce or anything else really. The point is we are using cans.

Soup cans are an excellent substitute for light hand weights. Since they are not as heavy as a weight you might normally exercise with, we can incorporate some static holds or small bounces to help intensify the exercise.

This workout is mainly going to focus on the upper body, with a few lower body moves. It’s perfect for when you don’t want a super intense workout but still want to get your body moving.

Bicep Curl with Static Hold

Hold one soup can in each hand and let your arms form a 90 degree angle with your elbows at your side. Hold your right arm static while you curl your left arm up to your shoulder and then down to your side. Repeat 15 times and then do the other arm.

Shoulder Super Set

This exercise strengthens the fronts, sides, and backs of your shoulders. To begin, lift arms straight in front to shoulder height with soup cans facing vertically. Turn cans horizontally and pull arms to sides to form cross formation. Bend elbows to 90 degrees and, keeping elbows in line with shoulders, shift soup cans to face-up toward sky. Extend elbows to press both soup cans overhead.

Repeat these steps in reverse order to lower arms back down to starting position. This is 1 repetition. Do the whole exercise 15 times.

Chest Fly

Soup cans can also be used for a chest fly exercise. Lie on your back and hold a soup can in each hand with your arms extended toward the ceiling. Perform the movement by lowering your straight arms to the sides until you touch the floor in a straight line from your shoulders. Repeat for 15 reps.

Reverse Fly

Stand with your feet hip width apart and hinge your upper body forward to become nearly parallel with the floor. Let your hands holding the soup cans hang in front of you with your palms facing each other, arms slightly bent.

Keeping your back flat and your torso sill, raise your arms straight out to your sides until they’re in line with your body. Don't change the bend in your elbows. Pause, then slowly return to the starting position.

Weighted Lunge

Stand tall and hold one soup can in each hand. Then step one foot approximately three feet in front of the other, bending both knees and lowering your body toward the floor. To finish, push off the floor with the front foot and return to the starting position. Do 15 reps per leg.

Tricep Kickbacks

Stand with your feet together, and knees slightly bent. Lean your upper body forward and bend your elbows to bring the cans level with your chest, and tight to your sides. Keep your upper arms still, as you extend both hands behind you; then return to start. Repeat for 30 seconds.

Then for the next 30 seconds keep your arms extended behind you and just bounce your arms up and down for 30 seconds.

Donkey Kicks

Get down on your hands and knees and place one soup can behind your right knee. Bend your leg to hold the can in place. Lift the weighted leg up until the thigh is parallel with the ground then bring it back down. Repeat 15 times then switch legs.

Repeat the entire work out 2-3 times and you are all set with your workout for the day. Because we are using light weights, this is a good recovery day workout or just a way to get your body moving and your energy flowing.

Let me know in the comments if this is something you think you can try at home!

Cheers,

Emily