WEEK TWENTY :: What Is The Best Milk Jug Workout?

* Note: How can I win? Answer all questions in the order that they are asked.

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TOPIC: What Is The Best Milk Jug Workout?

For the week of: 02/13 - 02/19
Sunday @ Midnight Is The Final Cut (Mountain Time, US & Canada).

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With machines there is no need to have a great deal of balance and with free weights there is nothing moving inside the weight being used. By using a milk jug filled with some type of liquid or material you add another factor to the equation.

Why would you want to use milk jugs for a workout?

What is the best workout program using milk jugs? Please be as descriptive as possible (list set, reps, etc.).

What type of material or liquid would you use? How much would you use for beginners, intermediate, advanced?

Bonus: What type of activities would be improved by using milk jugs?

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Don't discuss any other topic in this section. ONLY discuss the question above.

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NEW PRIZE MONEY!!!!!
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The best response will get $75 in credit, and second place will get $50 in credit to use in our online store and will have their workout posted on our main site for the world to see!

Thanks,
Bodybuilding.com

Ahhh the Milk Jug. Never in my life did I think I'd ever have to rely on such a basic "take the weight and lift it" routine until I found myself in the high arctic circle for 6 months with literally nothing resembling a weight (besides from some large Mr. Clean bottles) It was there I decided to make the best of a bad situation and put what little creativity I had to work.

It was with these "jugs" that I was able to develop better stability, control, and focus, because focus is EVERYTHING when you are lifting lighter weights than normal. Without focus and proper form you are just wasting your time.

Through some trial and error I was able to develop a plan that while in no way came close to a proper gym workout, I was able to maintain a considerable amount of strength and muscle weight! WAY beyond my expectations (I gained no fat and lost no muscle! using milk jugs for 6 months and sticking to the most basic of nutrition programs.

As far as liquid to fill the jugs with, work with what you got. I used the Mr. Clean solution (wasn't gonna drain them) and duct tape to secure a few bottles together for a greater workload. Stick with a heavy substance if at all possible, when in doubt, use water! (though sand is also an option)

Full Body Jug Workout

For reps, it will determine on your level of strength, this is an excellent opportunity to experiment with different rep speeds (5 seconds up, 10 seconds down, 3 seconds up, 4 seconds down, 1 up, 1 down etc.) This is because unless you have some massive jugs (I know how that sounds) you are going to have to adjust the speed of your reps to secure a proper rep range. (Cranking out 30 reps with 40 pounds wont do as much good as a SOLID, CONTROLLED, FOCUSED, SLOW 12 reps) In general shoot for 8-12 reps with the milk jugs (slightly higher 12-15 with lower body excersises) Do this routine 3-4 times a week but remember recovery time takes priority over this recommendation (cause thats all it is, a recomendation) but the lighter weights being used will allow for an increased training frequency.

Warm Up - Jump rope for 10-15 minutes (I used an extension cord)
Push Ups - 4 sets of max reps superset with Jug Flyes
Pull Ups - 4 sets of max reps (I used the top of a door) superset with bent over jug rows
Jug Shoulder Press - 3 sets
Jug Tricep Extension - 3 sets
Jug Curls - 3 sets
Jug Squats - 4 sets
Jug Lunges - 3 sets
Cool Down - Slow jump rope 10 minutes then stretch

For a beginner concentrate on proper form and maybe knock off 1 or 2 sets for the first 2 weeks. As you get more advanced experiment with the speed and ALWAYS work on proper form. Using jugs is an opportunity to work on stability muscles and develop better form than we would using a machine or even some more stable free weight excersises. I found it great for my shoulders.

So remember proper form and a controlled speed and you will be quite happy with your level of strength and form when you return to the gym. Take care.

LB4LB.

[size=+2][color=blue]Why would you want to use milk jugs for a workout?[/size][/color]

Weight is weight. Period. It doesn’t matter if you deadlift 800 pounds with a barbell full of plates or a banana tree branch... If you can perform the same "natural" movement, your body can't tell the difference between the metal plates or any other resistance object. It's a fact - but a fact that is very hard to establish in the real world. That's why we find barbells and dumbells to be the best way to workout, especially due to comfort aspects. As for milk jugs, they seem to be close to dumbells and their grip and design allow you to perform the movement quite effeciently, so they can entirely create a solid routine for you.
Altough this kind of training isn't perfect by all means and barbells/dumbells are still considered the optimal equipments for working-out, milk jugs training can be used if you:
- Don't have an access to the gym and you still want to be in shape.
- Can't afford yourself basic equipments like barbells, dumbells and plates.
- Want to take a break from all the iron around you. Milk jugs are a good replacement.
- Have couple of jugs thrown in the backyard and a motivation to move your butt off the TV chair.

Training with milk jugs will able you to improve strength and even size gains if done with progressive resistance and a solid workout. Let's see how it is done.

[size=+2][color=blue]What is the best workout program using milk jugs?[/size][/color]

There is a wide variety of excercises can be done with milk jugs, But I've decided mostly to focus on supersetted compund lifts and include them in a push/pull routine done 4 times a week. This way we can increase the stimulation of the muscle by supersets and training frequency:

Day 1: Push
Day 2: Pull
Day 3: Rest
Day 4: Push
Day 5: Pull
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Rest

* Push:
Jug Squats supersetted with Jug Lunges / 4 sets of 12-15 reps
Jug Split Squat - 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Jug Bench Press supersetted with Jug Flyes / 4 sets of 10-12 reps
Jug Military Press supersetted with Jug Lateral Raises / 4 sets of 12-10 reps
Jug One Arm Tricep Extension / 3 sets of 12-10 reps

* Pull:
Jug Stiff Leg Deadlifts / 4 sets of 12-15 reps
Jug One Leg GoodMorning / 4 sets of 12-15 reps
Jug One Arm Rows supersetted with Jug Pullovers / 4 sets of 12-15 reps
Jug Alternate Curls / 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Jug Shrugs / 3 sets of 15 reps

- Concentrate on the form while balancing the jugs. You must count each rep you do, so they should be slow and controlled to make the most out of the workout.
- An alternative to this routine would be a full body workout done 3 times a week with one excercise for each bodypart (keep the supersets as mentioned above).
- Split routine is a bad idea for this kind of training.

[size=+2][color=blue]What type of material or liquid would you use? How much would you use for beginners, intermediate, advanced?[/size][/color]

I would use sand as a material to fill the jugs with. It's easier to balance than water and it will probaly weigh more than water, so you will be able to lift heavier weights and progress with the resistance graduly. Another issue is that water can be very noisy when you bench press or squat these jugs. For beginners, I would suggest to work with light weights because the milk jugs will involve more stablizers. After mastering the form, you can start add more resistance but still concentrate on form more than how much you can "jug". Of course, advanced lifters will have to lift heavier jugs, and that's a problem by itself when it comes to filling jugs with sand or water... A good tip I can give you is to attach two jugs or more with a tape.

[size=+2][color=blue]What type of activities would be improved by using milk jugs?[/size][/color]

Milk jugs training is a good "switch" for intermediate and advanced lifters to experiment new training methods than iron. They are actually affective also for breaking plateu in strength gains... These aren't fancy equipments, yet very affective. Give them a try!. As for beginners, milk jugs are a great way to step into resistance training before hitting the iron. They will also improve strength and allow you to use a better form when you'll start weight lifting.

[b][size=+1][color=red]Why would you want to use milk jugs for a workout?[/b][/size][/color]

Most experienced and veteran bodybuilders use free weights and machines to work out with, so why would you want to use milk jugs? The answer is that not all of us have access to a gym or have enough money to buy an expensive machine. According to a Gale Group research report, roughly 25% of the population in the U.S. has access to a gym.¹ So how can you get a workout without paying expensive and costly membership fees to a gym or forking out half a grand to get a decent machine? The answer is simple: Use milk jugs.

Sure, you can use your own bodyweight to workout, but sometimes you need a heavier load that will stimulate those lagging muscles, as water weighs approximately 8.33 lbs/gallon. But, there are three reasons why you should consider using milk jugs even if you already have a machine or just beginning to enter the wonderful world of weightlifting, 1.) if you are currently using machines, you’ll benefit from the use of free weights such as milk jugs which in turn generate more results, 2.) is that not only are you saving money, but you are also recycling and helping the environment and 3.) if you are ever thirsty, you can take a sip from the jugs and pyramid your sets with higher reps and lower weight, or you could mix in your favorite protein powder and drink it after a hard workout, the possibilities are almost endless when you use something as creative as milk jugs!

[b][size=+1][color=red]What is the best workout program using milk jugs? Please be as descriptive as possible (list set, reps, etc.).[/b][/size][/color]

The best workout program with the use of milk jugs would be a straightforward, simple, yet consistent workout. As you will be working out with a maximum of 33 lbs (if you hold 2 jugs in each hand by attaching them together), the exercises you do must be done slow and controlled or the muscle will not be worked thoroughly. You will be working out 3 times a week; every day will include sufficient rest and nutrition.

The first thing you must do is stretch. Stretch however you want and at the end of the workout do not forget to cool down. Now for the workout:

Day 1- Chest, triceps, delts
3 x 20 Dumbbell pullovers, holding both
3 x 20 Dumbbell flies
2 x 15 Dumbbell bench press
2 x 15 Tricep extensions
2 x 15 Tate press
2 x 15 Tricep Dumbbell kickbacks
2 x 15 Cuban press
2 x 15 Front dumbbell raise
2 x 15 Side dumbbell raise

Day 2- Rest

Day 3- Quads, calves, abs
3 x 20 Dumbbell squats (can be done 1 leg to increase intensity)
3 x 15 Dumbbell lunges
3 x 30 Calf raises (can be done 1 leg to increase intensity)
3 x 25 Crunches with jug

Day 4- Rest

Day 5- Biceps, forearm, back and traps
3 x 15 Dumbbell bicep curls
2 x 20 Hammer throws
2 x 15 Concentration curls
4 x 25 Wrist curls (2 sets can be done reverse grip)
2 x 20 Bent over rows
2 x 20 Middle back shrug
3 x 15 Trap shrugs

Day 6- Rest
Day 7- Rest

[b][size=+1][color=red]What type of material or liquid would you use? How much would you use for beginners, intermediate, advanced?[/b][/size][/color]

The beginning lifter should be able to use water as the main liquid in the jug. If you feel that you need a lighter or heavier jug, use the following substances² instead of water:

Concrete- 20.02 lbs/gallon
Sand-13.35 lbs/gallon
Dirt- 13.10 lbs/gallon
Milk- 8.59 lbs/gallon
Corn- 6.01 lbs/gallon
Beans- 5.84 lbs/gallon
Rice- 5.74 lbs/gallon

This way, you can move on to heavier weights whenever you need to. Just remember, do your reps slowly and carefully so you get the most out of each and every rep that you do.

[b][size=+1][color=red]Bonus: What type of activities would be improved by using milk jugs?[/b][/size][/color]

Out of all the different things you can do with milk jugs, my favorite is to use them sometimes when I go swimming because you can also workout with them in the water! If you don’t know how to swim, they can help you learn to swim if you fill them up halfway with water. The main thing you will notice after using them is that your balance and coordination will be better; this can prove to be advantageous in any sport, from bowling to golf to football. They will help you tone your muscles and gain strength if you follow a good nutritional diet with high amounts of protein and water. As you can see, the benefits of using this disposable plastic jug can be rewarding if you stick to it and work hard.


Sources:
¹ American Demographics, [url]http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m4021/is_11_24/ai_95309983[/url]
² Densities of Some Common Substances, Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2006.

Why would you want to use milk jugs for a workout?

There are several reasons to use milk jugs for resistance training. The most obvious would be convenience. Not everyone has the money for a gym membership or effective home equipment. These “poor man’s dumbbells” can actually add some strength and definition to the body, and can also aid in maintaining muscle when other resistance training options are not available. In addition, a change in routine will keep the body from adapting to a certain workout. Exercising with milk jugs will recruit the help of smaller stabilizing muscles in the body, and ensure that good form and balance are being used. With simple aids such as an abdominal exercise ball, variety can be added to a milk jug workout to make it quite versatile.

When I took a vacation to the family beach house in a small Oregon town this past summer, I was definitely limited in my workout options. With no way to transport dumbbells with me, and no local gym to purchase a day pass at, I was concerned about maintaining my physique. I had planned on resorting to basic pushups, pull-ups, and the like. I also managed to deflate and bring my 55cm exercise ball to mix it up a little. After deciding this would make for a boring couple weeks of exercise, I realized there were other creative options including milk jug resistance training. After a little experimentation, I decided that the combination of the following guidelines and exercises would make my best workout program using milk jugs.

What is the best workout program using milk jugs?

The Guidelines:

It is important to focus on slow, controlled movements when exercising with milk jugs. Even when completely full, the weight of a milk jug “dumbbell” is going to be relatively light. Keep rest periods in between sets at about 30 seconds. Focusing on a strong muscle contraction at the end of each movement will make each rep count. Dedicating an equal amount of time to the eccentric and concentric part of each movement will also help to get the most out of a milk jug workout. A rep range of 12 to 15 will ensure an effective amount of muscle fatigue by the end of a set. Focusing on balance and stability while sitting or lying on the exercise ball will add to the overall challenge of the workout. The low intensity of a milk jug workout allows each body part to be exercised twice a week without overtraining.

The milk jug workout program:

Day 1 - Chest/Tris

Jug press 3x15 – Use the abdominal ball as back support and perform this jug version of the dumbbell bench press from a slight incline angle.

Jug fly 3x12 – Use the ball and really focus on stretching the chest with this standard dumbbell exercise.

Jug pullovers 3x15 – With a jug in each had perform this version of bent arm pullovers, substituting the ball for a bench.

Jug skull crushers 3x15 – With a jug in each hand, isolate the triceps from a lying supine position or from the ball.

Jug kickbacks 3x12 – Finish the tris with this sculpting exercise.

Day 2 – Upper Back/Shoulders/Bis

Jug shrugs 3x15 – Perform the jug version of the dumbbell shrug without rolling the shoulders.

Upright jug rows 3x12 – Keep the shoulder blades squeezed together and use a jug in each hand.

Bent over side lateral raises 3x12 – Bend over from a standing position or sitting on the ball.

One arm jug rows 3x15 – Kneel over the exercise ball to perform a single arm row.

Seated biceps jug curls 3x15 – Sit on the ball and focus on balance while alternating arm curls.

Jug concentration curls 3x12 – Really squeeze the bicep at the top of the curl.

Day 3 – Legs/Abs

Jug squats 3x15 – Hold a jug in each hand and squat low.

Stationary lunges holding jugs 3x12 – Remain stationary while performing slow, controlled lunges.

Prone hamstring flexions 3x15 – Hold a jug between the feet to perform this exercise.

Jug calf raises 2x25 – Hold a jug in each hand while performing calf raises with the toes on a slightly elevated surface to increase stretch and range of motion.

Ball crunches 2x25 – Hold a jug behind the head for added resistance.

Supine leg lifts (reverse crunches) 2x25 – Hold a jug between the feet for added resistance.

Bicycles 2x1 minute – No jugs needed here.

What type of material or liquid would you use? How much would you use for beginners, intermediate, advanced?

For simplicity, and due to availability, I stuck to sand and water. I estimated the sand jugs at a little less than 15 pounds, and the water jugs at just under 10 pounds. These are both relatively light weights even for beginners, so I would recommend them to all levels. Beginners should perform each workout once a week, and cut the sets down to 2 per exercise. For all others I would recommend this routine as it is.

Bonus: What type of activities would be improved by using milk jugs?

Almost any activity can be improved through resistance training. I would assume that activities that incorporate balance would be especially improved by using milk jugs. Such activities could include yoga, surfing, and skating to name a few.

[b][color=blue][size=+3] What Is The Best Milk Jug Workout? [/b][/color][/size]
Intro
We always see it these days in some books and magazines, people using milk jug to perform some exercises. Although no one would ever think of using the milk jug to have a workout, it is useful and it can give you some benefits, but don’t expect to wake up the next day ripped as hell and bigger than Ronnie. Remember if you’re stuck somewhere with no gym, it’s better to do something than nothing, I would rather have a buck than no money at all. Right now you might be thinking what four extra pounds would even do if your doing deadlifts or even curls, well my answer is that there are ways to add more resistance and actually make lifting with jugs more worth while. Hey you might even find yourself getting benefits if your not in the greatest shape. One thing I want to make clear is that you won’t be gaining that much at all. I mean seriously, if I had a choice between weights and milk jugs I would choose weights for sure, as would everyone else. But Dumbbells come at a very expensive price. Especially if you’re starting out, starting out with milk jugs would be very economical. Using milk and water jugs are only good in certain situations and shouldn’t be used all the time if you’re the type of person who is serious and wants to get stronger and bigger.


[b][color=blue][size=+2] Why would you want to use milk jugs for a workout? [/b][/color][/size]
There are a couple of reasons why you might want to use milk jugs to workout I will outline below. One thing I want to say is that if milk jugs don’t provide enough resistance then Culligan jugs or water jugs will for sure for most people. Water jugs are huge and if you fill them with water then that’s about 30-50 pounds right there no joke, if you get the right kind of jugs they are real heavy. There are also different sizes in the water jugs so you can make different weights to suit your needs. So remember, when the milk jug isn’t enough, whip out the water jugs and you will get at least a decent workout other than how the handles are gripped weird.

1. If you don’t have weights at home and are a beginner
– If you don’t have weights at home and don’t want to go to the gym yet because you’re a beginner then milk jugs are great because you can just get used to the basic movements. There really is not difference between milk/water jugs and weight other than the shape. For some reason dumb people tend to think that metal weights will for some reason build the muscle faster. If I used a 50 pound dumbbell or a 50 pound water jug it wouldn’t make a difference. But keep in mind if you don’t have weights at home or are a beginner, you don’t want to be doing milk/water jug workouts 24/7 because I can guarantee if you did that you wouldn’t make significant gains.

2. If your on a holiday
– If your on a holiday it’s not like your going to bring dumbbells in your baggage or else they might think you got a bomb in there, plus that would be dumb. So if your in your hotel you can buy a milk/water jug and fill it up and do quick workouts with them so you can at least keep some of your fitness up rather than just letting it plummet. Remember like I said above, some training is better than none at all. This is good especially if you don’t want to pay expensive gym memberships or are away from home for a long period of time. I would much rather do training with milk jugs for a month than sit there and eat burgers and fries. And since most people pig out on vacations (That’s what it’s all about on vacation), doing at least some exercise would be beneficial.

3. If your rehabilitating from injury.
– If your rehabilitation from an injury then there’s no point in going to a gym because you won’t be using 400 pounds on your squat if you tore your hamstring, or you wouldn’t be doing 200 pounds on your bench if you injured your shoulder. Milk jugs would be an awesome and cheap way to rehabilitate yourself from an injury since it’s super fast and practically non hassle. There’s no point in waiting to use 5 pound dumbbells when some woman is hogging it for an hour when you can just use your milk jugs at home.

4. If you don’t have time
– This would be great if you need to do homework or office work and don’t have a home gym. Like I said above whip out the milk jugs or the heavy duty Culligan/water jugs and you have your gym right there. It’s super fast and it will save you loads of time. Although it’s probably not as good as going to the gym for a regular workout you still might get a decent workout since the water jugs can get to a pretty high weight (I’ll show you how to get them real heavy later in the article). Remember a mediocre workout with water/milk jugs is way better than nothing at all.

5. To stop detraining
– Detraining is the decrease in endurance, strength, size etc of the body because of a lack of stress. In terms of bodybuilding, this means the shrinking of muscles and decrease in strength because of a lack of exercise. This is tied to so many things such as going on holidays or if you have a super busy week. You never want to do no training or else you will lose some precious muscle or strength and will have to build your way back up again. So to stop detraining or just make it less profound, using milk/water jugs is a great way to do that. So if your on a holiday, using milk/water jugs will slow down the rate in which you will lose your strength and muscle so when you get back into the gym you won’t have to build back to where you originally where, or you could do it faster. Remember if your curling a 40 pound water jug and that’s how much your normally do, I don’t think you would be detraining at all.


[b][color=blue][size=+2] What is the best workout program using milk jugs? Please be as descriptive as possible (list set, reps, etc.). [/b][/color][/size]
The program I will list below is a program that you have to alter around. If you just want to maintain then using real heavy water jugs might not be a good idea. And if your not that strong and a 10 pound water jug is fine then it’s alright. You can also alter around the sets and reps to your liking. Remember the workout I think is the best won’t be the one that you think is the best. The working I’m going to be listing is kind of an aggressive approach for people who won’t be able to go to the gym or use weights for a longer period of time because of whatever reason like a holiday. But if you just want to maintain then use light weights and maybe do less reps, whatever your goal is will determine what your workout will look like. Remember it’s all up to you, I can make probably a million workout variations for people with injury, for people who need a workout for a few weeks or for people who need a milk/water jug workout for a couple of months.
One other thing is that you shouldn’t bother with techniques like drop sets and strip sets because those things are almost impossible. It wouldn’t be a drop set if you have to go to the sink to empty the water and fill it up again. However you could use things like super sets, rest pause sets (If the weight is heavy enough), burns etc. So now for the workout:

Since this is a more aggressive approach we will be using water jugs or milk jugs if you like. Water jugs ensure you can at least get the weight up to about 40 pounds which is alright for a lot of people. Think of it this way, some jugs can go up to 40 maybe even 50 liters. If you fill it with water that’s 40 kg and if you convert that to pounds that’s 88 pounds! That’s more than enough for almost everyone. So keep one thing in mind which is to fill the jugs according to the correct weight for you. Remember 1 liter of water = 1 kg of water = 2.2 pounds of water. For this workout you should try to go as hard as possible like you do normally in the gym or at your home gym. Intensity should be almost the same, you shouldn’t be slacking just because your using water or milk jugs. With this workout you should be going intense enough so that if you do a body part like arms they should be sore the next day.
Since this is a bodybuilding site and most people reading this are looking to get big the reps should be kept around 6-15 reps to promote hypertrophy. The reason why it’s at 15 reps is because sometimes you need to perform more reps to exhaust the muscle because the weight might not be enough.

Training split
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – Legs and lower back
Wednesday – Chest and triceps
Thursday – Back and biceps
Friday - Rest
Saturday- Shoulders and traps
Sunday – Abs and wrists

Tuesday – Legs and lower back
Squats 3-4 sets x 8-15 reps – For squats you should load up the jugs with as much weight as possible since an exercise like squats requires more weight. If you still don’t have enough weight after you load up water jugs then perform one legged squats where you go down with one leg and put the other on a chair. That will cut the weight you need more than by just half. It also works the stabilizer muscles a lot.

Lunges 3 sets x 8-15 reps – Load the milk jugs or water jugs to the appropriate weight for you. Even for some people doing no weight is hard. If you still find it easy with loaded up weight, then perform jump lunges or scissors lunges that will be a workout without weight themselves.

Step ups 2 sets x 8-15 reps – Again like lunges load the weight up and take time to go slowly to exhaust the muscles.

Single legged calf raises 3-4 sets x 8-15 reps

Deadlifts 3 sets x 8-15 reps – With this you should take two water jugs or in some peoples cases milk jugs and load em up as heavy as you can. Deadlifts require the most weight so two large water jugs are best.

Stiff legged deadlift 2-3 sets x 8-15 reps – Since good mornings is almost impossible to do because you need the weight on your back, stiff legged deadlifts are great since it simulates that movement.

Wednesday – Chest and triceps
Chest flys 3 sets x 6-15 reps – This is a great exercise since it concentrates on the pecs and doesn’t require loads of weight.

Chest press 3 sets x 6-15 reps – If you can’t hold the milk/water jugs on your own because the grip will be strange, just get someone to stabilize the weight for you.

Skull crushers 3 sets x 6-15 reps – Skull crushers are one of the best exercises for triceps since it hits all heads of the tricep. But since using two milk/water jugs might be very awkward, it might be best if you just used one and gripped the handle with both hands

One arm tricep extensions 3 sets x 6-15 reps – This is a good exercise since the handles are well suited for this exercise.


Thursday – Back and biceps
One arm rows 3 sets x 6-15 reps – Load up the weight on this one since rows require more weight that other exercises. For most people a water jug will be fine.

Bent over rows 3 sets x 6-15 reps – After doing one arm rows you won’t be able to use as much weight so then loaded up milk or water jugs will do just fine for this exercise. This is one of the best exercises for the back and make sure to concentrate on the back not the arms.

Alternating hammer 3 sets x 6-15 reps – This exercise should be no problem given that you won’t need godly amounts of weight. Also this grip will suit the handle of the milk/water jugs very will. Regular curls will be so weird because of the handles on the milk/water jugs.

Cross body hammer curl 3 sets x 6-15 reps – This is another great exercise since the grip suits the water/milk jugs. This works more of the outside bicep.
One arm Water Jug curl 3 sets x 6-15 reps – This is a good exercise since the Culligan grip works well with this exercise.


Saturday – Shoulders and traps
Lateral raises 3 sets x 6-15 reps – Should be no problem even with milk jugs since you don’t need that much weight.

Front raises 3 sets x 6-15 reps – This is a good alternative to shoulder press which is almost impossible to do with milk/water jugs since the handle is positioned so awkwardly.

Bent over lateral raises 3 sets x 6-15 reps – This is a great exercise for the posterior deltoids and you don’t need that much weight at all for it.

Shoulder shrugs 3 sets x 6-15 reps – Great exercise for the traps, just make sure to load up the weight. The handles also suit the exercise.

Shoulder shrugs on a bench – If you don’t have a bench for some reason than you can just do upright rows.


Sunday – Abs and wrists
Weighted sit ups 3 sets x 6-15 reps – Go very slowly to get a good concentration. Everyone performs this exercise way to fast and aren’t giving enough time for their abs to contract. Even with no weight if you concentrate hard enough and go slow enough you can get a good ab workout.

Leg raises 3 sets x 6-15 reps – You don’t need much weight for this one. A milk jug is all you need for this one, try sticking it inbetween your feet or tying it real tight to your shoe laces or something like that. If you really wanted to make it stick between your feet you can go extreme and duct tape it between your feet. That will hold it since you only need about 8-10 pounds for most people.

Russian twist with weight 3 sets x 6-15 reps – Use a little bit of weight since you don’t need a whole lot.

Palms up wrist curl 3-4 sets x 6-15 reps – Basically the only exercise you can do for wrists

Palms down wrist curl 3-4 sets x 6-15 reps – Again this is basically the only exercise you can do


[b][color=blue][size=+2] What type of material or liquid would you use? How much would you use for beginners, intermediate, advanced? [/b][/color][/size]
Here are a list of real good things to fill your milk/water jugs with
1. Who would have thought water!
– For milk jugs water might add about 4-5 pounds to it. If you use water jugs then water will be more than enough for most people since some water jugs go up to 40 liters which is 88 pounds.

2. Sand
– Sand is a great way to add more weight to your milk/water jugs. If you need more resistance then sand will do that for you.

3. Pebbles, marbles and stones
– Pebbles and stones will be awesome if you need a lot more weight. If you fill a milk jug with pebbles and stones then it will probably be 15 pounds. Imagine if you did it to a water very large water jug, it would maybe even weight 90-100 pounds! Since there are little spaces between the stones and pebbles you can fill them in with water for even more weight. You can also fill the spaces in with sand

4. Nuts, nails, bolts and metal pieces
– For a tons of resistance you can add metal pieces like nuts, nails, bolts and things like that. Just think about filling a very large water jug full of it, that would be well over 100 pounds, and a milk jug would probably be 20-25 pounds. And to fill in the spaces you can use sand first then water.

Additional notes: You may also create a set of jugs and water jugs with varying weight by adding sufficient water or sand. Also for sand, stones, marbles, pebbles nuts, nails, metal pieces, water can be added. Also if you fill a jug with half or ¾ full of water, the jug becomes very unsteady and will work more of the stabilizing muscles.

Beginners:
Beginners should use water and sand for the most part and concentrate on getting the motions in and not on getting gains which is a common mistake. A lot of beginners rush into everything and lift way to heavy and burn out. A beginner should never stuff a water jug full or it will be way to heavy. Beginners could probably also use a few pebbles and stones for a bit more resistance

Intermediate:
Intermediate lifters should probably use water, sand pebbles and stones and some nuts and metal pieces. Since intermediate lifters could handle more weight then they could probably afford to fill the milk/water jugs with pebbles and stones and maybe with nuts and bolts. However they shouldn’t go all out an the jugs so they can’t handle the weight. Remember fill the gaps in with sand or water for more resistance

Advanced:
Advanced lifters should go as heavy as possible, which means either all nuts and metal pieces or some metal pieces and pebbles. Remember for more resistance fill in the gaps with water or sand. You can even make your own weights with a combination of metal pieces and sand or all metal pieces or metal pieces and stones depending on the exercise.


[b][color=blue][size=+2] Bonus: What type of activities would be improved by using milk jugs? [/b][/color][/size]
For sure the number one thing that will be improved is stabilization. The milk jug isn’t always even because there might be pebbles or water sloshing around, your muscles will have to act on that and stabilize the weight. Also your balance will be improved because in the leg workouts I listed one legged squats, step ups, and lunge variations. These are probably the best exercise to improve balance in the legs especially scissors and jump lunges and one legged squats. Grip will also be improved since the jug grips are not ideal for lifting.

ummm...so who won???

It's on the main page now. You took second. Good article.

Really??? who hoo!...thanks man
oh yeah, u had a great article too