| How to Gain Muscle Without Weights Posted: 20 Jul 2018 05:00 PM PDT You can try other options to build muscle. For instance, you can use body-weight exercises to help strengthen your muscles. If you just don't want to buy weights or go to the gym, you can also substitute household items for standard weights in your weight-training exercises. However, weight exercises are not the only way to bulk up. Doing plyometric and callisthenic exercises over time can also help you create muscle. EditDoing Body-Weight Exercises - Work out a routine that rotates among strength-training exercises. When you're not using weights, your body becomes the "weight" that you use to build muscle. For instance, a pushup, where you're pushing your body off the floor, uses your body's weight to build muscle. However, you can't just stick with 1 exercise. You need to rotate through exercises to build up muscle across your body.[1]
- Try exercises like squats, handstand pushups, pull-ups, dips, and body rows.
- You can also try things like sit-ups and 1-armed handstands up against a wall for balance.
- It can help to rotate through types of exercises. For instance, on your first round, do body weight squats, standard pushups, alternating lunges, and side planks. On the next round, try squat jumps, pause pushups, split-squat jumps, and front planks.[2]
- Alternate between limbs. Many exercises call for you to use both arms or both legs at once. However, if you only use 1 at a time, you work the muscles in that limb harder, helping you build up muscle. Alternate which limb you use on exercises that use both, such as doing pushups with just your left arm and then just your right arm.[3]
- To mix things up, try a push up with your feet close together. If that's easy for you, try lifting one foot off the floor for your pushups. Alternate so you perform the exercise equally on each leg.
- If you try one-arm pushups, attempt to hold the other arm behind your back. If you're ready for an added challenge, place the free hand forward or out to the side. Again, perform any one-sided exercises equally. There are tons of way to vary your pushups to increase their difficulty.
- Increase the difficulty. When you're doing a body weight exercise, push until you can't do another rep. However, once you're able to do 15 reps each time, it's time to move up to a more difficult exercise. More difficult exercises challenge your muscles more than repeating a less difficult exercise over and over.[4]
- For instance, maybe you start off doing wall pushups because you're not quite ready for floor pushups. Once you get the hang of those, try doing pushups from your knees, and eventually move on to typical pushups.
- Once that seems easy, try pushups with an arm or foot raised to increase difficulty.
- Workout at least 3 times a week. If you want to build muscle, try setting a schedule of Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for workouts. When doing exercises, aim for 5 to 12 reps per set to build muscle. Aim for working through each exercise until you're just short of the most you can give. You don't want to go all out because that can hurt your muscles. However, you do want to push yourself each time.[5]
- You can try rotating through the 4 types of exercises 3 times, so you hit 12 different exercises. Do each exercise for 30 seconds each and then rest for 30 seconds. Do all 12 exercises again, repeating 3 to 5 times.
- Change up the speed of an exercise to work your muscles in a different way. For example, perform a squat by lowering yourself slowly for a count of 6 and then burst up to standing. Explosive muscle contractions work your body differently than slow and steady movements. This is a great way to add variety and intensity to your workout.
EditBuilding Muscle through Cardiovascular Exercise - Tighten your core. When you're doing cardiovascular exercise, make sure you are tightening your core muscles, as if bracing for a punch. That will help you strengthen muscle throughout your core. This will help build your muscle fibers for endurance.
- Run your way to muscles. You don't have to lift weights to gain muscle. For instance, walking or running every day can help you build muscle in your legs, core, and arms. It can also burn fat to make your muscles more visible.
- Start out with sessions that are 30 to 45 minutes long 3 to 5 times a week. Alternate between quicker runs and slower, longer runs for the best results.[6]
- Try swimming. Swimming is a great full-body workout, so you're going to gain some muscle while doing this exercise. Try swimming 30 to 45 minutes most days of the week to start building muscles throughout your body.
- Start slower and build up over time. For instance, you might start with 15-minute sessions if you're very out of shape. Add 5 to 10 minutes to the session each week to slowly increase over time.
- Choose other exercises based on your preferences. Most endurance exercises will help you build muscles. Try cycling, for instance, or cross-country skiing. Rowing is also a good choice. Exercise for at least 30 minutes most days of the week to help build muscle and endurance.
EditSubstituting Other Things for Weights - Fill containers with liquids. Liquids are relatively heavy, so you can use anything with liquid for a weight. For instance, you can use milk jugs filled with water, laundry detergent bottles, or water bottles as weights with your workout.[7]
- Lift with your kids. A silly, fun way to add weight to your workouts is to goof around with your kids while working out. If you're doing squats, for instance, give your kid a piggy-back ride while doing it. Of course, make sure you're being safe and have a good hold on your kid. Your kid will love it! You could even do pushups with your kid on your back.[8]
- Pick up some canned food. You can also use a can of food for weight-lifting. Just grab a can in each hand and continue on with your exercises as you normally do. These can add a pound or 2 to your strength training.[9]
- Put on weighted clothing. Another way to increase your weight while you're working out is to use weighted clothing. For instance, you can use weighted vests, a backpack loaded with potatoes, or weighted ankle straps. The added weight provides more resistance, helping you build muscle.[10]
EditMaking Lifestyle Changes - Increase the amount of (healthy) foods you're eating. It's difficult to build muscle without adding more calories to your diet. Rather than consuming excess calories indiscriminately, try to eat more protein and vegetables. Switching from refined carbohydrates to simple ones, such as fruit, can also be helpful.[11]
- Sleep your way to muscles. Make sure you're getting your 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night. Sleep helps with muscle recovery, and it gives you the energy to power through your exercises. Try eating right before bed, though, to help encourage muscle growth.[12]
- Drink at least of water a day. Water is essential to your muscles. It allows you to move and flex your muscles, and it carries needed nutrients to your muscles. You should be drinking at least of water a day, but you'll likely need more if you are exercising regularly or live in a dry or hot climate.[13]
EditSources and Citations
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| How to Soften Hard Water Naturally Posted: 20 Jul 2018 09:00 AM PDT Hard water refers to the concentration of certain substances like calcium and lime in your water. If your water contains calcium, a quick boil may remove its funny taste. Other contaminants can be removed with filters. For better water throughout your household, consider installing an ion exchange system. Laundry water, on the other hand, can be softened with baking soda and vinegar. EditSoftening Drinking Water - Boil away impurities. If your water contains a lot of minerals, especially calcium, you can remedy the unpleasant taste by boiling the water before drinking. Fill a clean pot or kettle with water and place it on a stove burner set to high. Allow the water to boil for a few minutes.[1]
- If you aren't sure if your water is hard, or if you want more specific information about the minerals in your water, test it with water hardness testing strips. You can pick up testing strips at your local hardware store.[2]
- Transfer the clean water to a container. Turn the heat off and allow the water to cool completely. You'll likely see white sediment gather on the bottom of the pot or kettle. This sediment is made up of insoluble minerals, which can't be boiled away. Use a baster, siphon, or ladle to transfer the water to a clean container.[3]
- Although it's not harmful, try to avoid as much sediment as you can during the transfer.[4]
- Letting the sediment settle on the bottom first allows you to easily remove the clear water while leaving most of the sediment behind.
- Pour the boiled water back and forth between 2 containers. Boiling water can cause it to taste flat. Pouring it back and forth between 2 clean containers for a few minutes will restore oxygen to the water, improving its taste.[5]
- Remove impurities with a drinking water filter. If you drink water straight from the tap often, boiling it every time may become a nuisance. Instead, try using a drinking water filter to purify your water before drinking it. Some filters attach directly to faucets, while others act as filters for pitchers. Water treated with a filter often has a better taste.
- These filters can be bought at most grocery stores and general retailers.
- Look for systems that have a secondary filter, like one made from carbon or that uses reverse osmosis, to ensure contaminants are being removed from your water.[6]
EditUsing Ion Exchange Systems - Install an ion exchange shower head filter. A shower filter is one of the best ways to remove chlorine and lead from your water. Shower filters are also effective at neutralizing unpleasant smells. They are specially designed to work with high temperatures and flow rates.[7]
- Shower head filters can be found at hardware stores, home centers, and online marketplaces.
- To know exactly what minerals your water contains, try testing it with water hardness testing strips. You can pick up testing strips at your local hardware store.[8]
- Install an ion exchange softener for your entire water supply. These kinds of softeners are usually installed by a professional. Water coming into your home is run through resin to pull out the contaminants. Purchase these kinds of softeners at hardware stores and home centers.[9]
- Home ion exchangers are ideal for hard water rated medium to very hard. They are one of the most common choices for improving household water.
- You may want to run a hard water test first to note the kinds of minerals in your water. Some softening systems may be better at removing certain contaminants than others.
- Prices will vary according to model and region, but these kinds of softeners generally run between $500 and $1,500.
- Maintain your softener system. Many softener systems are straightforward and require little upkeep. Some filters may need to be regenerated by adding salt, while others may have a replaceable cartridge.
- Always follow the directions that came with your softener system to keep it running in the best condition for the longest time.[10]
EditSoftening Laundry Water - Put in 1/2 cup (118 ml) of baking soda with your laundry. Pour the baking soda into the washing machine, then fill it with clothing and detergent as you would normally. Set the washing machine for your desired cycle and run it.[11]
- Baking soda doesn't filter the minerals out of hard water, but it makes it softer to the touch. Softened water cleans and rinses better.
- Baking soda is also mildly abrasive, so it helps to more thoroughly clean your clothing.[12]
- Add 1/2 cup (118 ml) of distilled white vinegar to the laundry. Keep an eye on your laundry and add the white vinegar before the last rinse cycle. If your machine has a fabric softener dispenser, you can fill this with the vinegar before you start the load and it will be released automatically.
- Vinegar, which is a natural acid, helps to neutralize hard water with a lot of calcium in it. Calcium is a very alkaline mineral.
- Even though vinegar has a strong smell, this will be completely washed out by the rinse cycle.
- If you want to turn vinegar into a scented cleaner, mix 1.5 drops of an essential oil, like lavender, with it before adding it to laundry.
- Only use white vinegar for softening your laundry water. Other kinds, like apple cider vinegar, won't do the trick.[13]
- Dry clothes as you would normally. Move the clean clothes to your dryer and run them on a suitable setting. When dried, you should notice that the baking soda and vinegar have reduced the hardness of your water, resulting in softer laundry.
- Reverse osmosis could be considered slightly more natural than an ion exchange softener. However, reverse osmosis units may have special needs, like a consistent operating temperature.
- Smaller reverse osmosis systems can be installed in-line to provide softened water to strategic areas of your home, like high-use sinks.[14]
EditThings You'll Need EditSoftening Drinking Water - Pot or kettle
- Ladle (or baster/siphon)
- 2 clean containers
- Drinking water filter (optional)
EditUsing Ion Exchange Systems - Ion exchange softener for shower head
- Full ion exchange softener system
EditSoftening Laundry Water - Measuring cup
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- Essential oils (optional)
EditSources and Citations
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| How to Paint a Cooler Posted: 20 Jul 2018 01:00 AM PDT When you're painting a cooler, the color choices and design possibilities are endless. If you take the time to prime, paint and seal your cooler correctly, you'll have a personalized keepsake that you can use for years to come. EditPriming the Cooler - Fill in any logos or indents on the cooler with spackle. Spackle is a putty used as a filler. It hardens when it dries, so you'll be able to paint right over it later on. Use a putty knife to fill the indents with spackle. Scrape the edge of the knife over the top of the spackle so it's flush with the rest of the cooler. Don't worry if it's not perfect — you can sand it down later.[1]
- Let the spackle dry for several hours. The exact amount of time it will take the spackle to dry depends on how deep the indents you filled in were — the deeper the indents, the longer it will take to dry. After a few hours, try touching the spackle with your fingers. If it's hard and has a chalky texture, it's dry.
- Sand the surface of the cooler once the spackle is dry. Sanding the cooler will make it easier for the paint to stick to it. You want to sand the cooler until the surface feels smooth when you touch it. Don't forget to sand over the spackle too so it's flush with the rest of the cooler.[2]
- Start sanding the cooler with a coarse grit sandpaper (40-50 grit) and finish with a fine grit sandpaper (120-220 grit). Using 2 kinds of sandpaper will help you make your cooler as smooth as possible.[3]
- If the cooler came with a smooth finish, you still want to sand it down to remove the top layer of the plastic so the paint sticks.
- Apply a spray-on plastic primer to the surface of the cooler. A plastic primer will help the paint adhere to the surface of the cooler better. Spray the primer on the cooler so there's an even coat over the entire surface.[4]
- You can find a spray-on plastic primer at your local home improvement center or paint store.
- If the cooler has handles or wheels that you don't want to paint, cover them with painter's tape before you spray the primer on.
- Let the cooler dry in a well-ventilated area for 24 hours. Place the cooler on a tarp or sheets of newspaper while it dries so the primer doesn't get on your floor. After 24 hours, the cooler should feel dry to the touch. If it's not, let it finish drying.[5]
EditDesigning and Painting the Cooler - Paint the cooler background with acrylic paint. Before you add designs or personal touches, you should create a solid base to work on. Cover the sides and top of the cooler with paint using a large paintbrush.[6]
- To use multiple colors for the background, paint 1 color at a time and let the paint dry in between colors.
- One coat of acrylic paint should be enough for the background.
- Let the paint dry for 24 hours. After 24 hours, the cooler should feel dry to the touch. If you're doing additional colors for the background, paint them on one at a time and let the cooler dry for 24 hours in between each coat.[7]
- Print out any designs or lettering you want to put on the cooler. While you can definitely draw designs on the cooler freehand, using designs printed off the computer will make the cooler look cleaner and more professional.[8]
- Keep in mind that you'll be tracing the outlines of the designs onto the cooler and filling them in with paint, so stick with simple images and fonts.
- Trace the designs and lettering onto the cooler using carbon paper. To use carbon paper, trace the outline of your design onto the paper. Then, hold the carbon paper on the cooler and draw over the lines to transfer the design onto the cooler.[9]
- You can find carbon paper online or at your local art supplies store.
- Use printer paper to transfer your designs if you don't have carbon paper. Start by tracing your design onto a sheet of printer paper. Then, shade in the back of the paper with pencil. After the back is shaded in, place the paper on the cooler where you want the design to go and trace over the lines with a pencil to transfer it.[10]
- Try tissue paper if you don't have carbon printer paper. Trace your design onto a piece of tissue paper. Then, position the tissue paper on the cooler where you want the design to go and draw over the outline with a fine-point permanent marker. The marker will bleed through the tissue paper and transfer onto the cooler.[11]
- Fill in the designs and lettering with acrylic paint. Use small paint brushes to apply the paint so you can be more detailed.[12]
- If you want to do multiple colors in the same design, do 1 color at a time and let the paint dry in between colors — otherwise, the colors might smudge together.
- It may be easier if you lay the cooler on its side so the side you're painting is facing up. If you do this, you'll need to paint 1 side at a time and let the paint dry in between sides.
- Let the painted designs and lettering dry for several hours. The thinner the coat of paint, the less time it will take to dry. After a few hours, touch the paint to see if it's completely dry. If it is, you can add additional colors to your designs, start on a new side of the cooler, or move on to sealing the cooler.[13]
EditSealing the Cooler - Apply a coat of spray-on Mod Podge to the surface of the cooler. Mod Podge is a sealer and finisher that will help prevent the paint on the cooler from chipping or peeling. Once the paint on the cooler is dry, spray the surface of the cooler with a thin, even coat of Mod Podge.[14]
- You can find Mod Podge online or at your local arts and crafts store.
- Let the first coat of mod podge dry for 15-20 minutes. After 15-20 minutes, the Mod Podge should feel completely dry to the touch. If it doesn't, let it finish drying before you move on.[15]
- Apply a second coat of Mod Podge and let it dry. Two coats of Mod Podge should be enough to protect the paint on the cooler from chipping or peeling. After you spray the second coat, let the cooler dry for another 15-20 minutes before moving it.[16]
- Cover the cooler with a thin layer of clear polyurethane to waterproof it. Since coolers have a tendency to get wet, it's a good idea to waterproof your cooler so the paint doesn't come off. Use a clean paintbrush to apply a thin, even layer of clear polyurethane to the entire outer surface of the cooler.[17]
- You can find polyurethane online or at your local home improvement center.
- Let the cooler dry for 24 hours before you use it. After 24 hours, the cooler should be completely dried, sealed, and ready to go. If you covered the handles and wheels with painter's tape, you can take the tape off now.[18]
EditThings You'll Need - Cooler
- Spackle
- Putty knife
- Coarse grit sandpaper
- Fine grit sandpaper
- Spray-on plastic primer
- Tarp or newspaper
- Painter's tape
- Acrylic paint
- Paintbrushes
- Carbon or tissue paper
- Printer
- Printer paper
- Pencil
- Mod Podge
- Polyurethane
EditSources and Citations
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