DIY Gym Kit from Inner Tubes

Stop throwing your old inner tubes away! Instead, turn them into a versatile bit of gym equipment called a Bulgarian Bag. This is an excellent bit of kit for enduro, motocross and general dirt bike fitness training.

Bulgarian bags are brilliant bit of kit that and can be made cost effectively. You can use them in isolation for entire sessions or add some variety to the end of your regular work outs. I first came across them when I was training clients in local parks and needed something to take with me that I didn't mind getting trashed. The list of exercises you can do with them is enormous. HIIT, strength, core, cardio can all be done with this bit of kit.

All you need is an old inner tube, some sand (or something else to make it heavy), duct tape, cable ties and some scissors. Here’s a how to video:

Session ideas with a Bulgarian bag:

• TABATA training - a type of High Intensity Interval Training. Find a TABATA timer on youtube and let rip! 8 rounds of 20 second maximal efforts followed by 10 seconds rest. Great if you have minimal time to train. Do 3-5 TABATAs to make a full session. Pick 1-4 exercises per TABATA (see list below). TABATAs are great for boosting anaerobic and aerobic fitness, burning fat and preparing the body and mind to perform whilst fatigued.

• AMRAP - As Many Rounds As Possible. Pick multiple exercises to make up a round and decide a rep range for each depending on the difficulty of the exercise e.g 5 devil press, 10 squats, 15 shoulder press, 20 slams and set a timer for however long you have. Now do as many rounds as you possibly can in that time frame. AMRAPs are good for building muscular endurance.

• Weighted walk/run with a selection of exercises - sling the bag over your shoulders and go for a walk/run. Marching up hills will get your legs fired up. You can then pick distances to walk/run with the bag and conduct a set number of reps/exercises at each interval or top of each hill e.g run 400 metres, lunge walk 20 metres, 10 squat jumps, repeat.

Here’s a short list of exercises you can do with a bulgarian bag, you’re restricted by creativity!

• Squat and squat jumps

• Devil press

• Shoulder press and shoulder rotation variations

• Lunges, jumping jacks, pistol squats

• Single leg RDLs

• Weighted running

• Weighted dips, pull ups, push ups

• Slams, throws, swings

• Add resistance to sit ups, leg raises, crunches

• Single arm curls, tricep extensions, raises