For many, the gym was a place to decompress from the stresses of every day life.

When gyms across the country began closing down to adhere with protective measures against the coronavirus, people flocked to buy work out equipment online, selling out many stores.

Greek-Australian bodybuilder Maria Elenis is still waiting for her order of weights to arrive, even noticing that people are ‘scalping’ gym gear.

“It’s crazy! There have been things online where people are re-selling things like little dumbbells for $600,” she says.

In the meantime Maria has found some creative ways to keep her body happy and healthy.

Recently she posted herself on social media using a box of Pepsi Max cans and a wooden pallet as weights, but there are plenty of other household items you can use.

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Maria says, “I found some bricks outside my house, I’ve used them. You can make anything work really. This week I’m going to make my own barbells with pre-mix concrete, a couple of buckets and a pole…But for the average person you just need something that you can use as a barbell, you could even used tinned tomatoes just to be able to lift it up and do the motion.”

So if you are feeling a bit sluggish and the YouTube workout videos aren’t cutting it, why not try Maria’s recommendation for an all over body workout that almost anyone can do.

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Maria suggests more repetitions to make up the absence of weight equipment.

* You can make these weighted squats by holding a household item like a bag of rice or flour, or a small pack of soft drink cans
** If you have bad knees you can substitute these for side step lunges
*** You can use bottles of water, tinned food and other items as weights for this exercise