We’ve all had days when the gym feels too far, the weather’s too bad for a run, or maybe you’re just stuck at home with zero equipment. But here’s a fun truth — you probably have solid “weights” sitting right in your kitchen. Enter the humble pressure cooker. Heavy, sturdy, and surprisingly easy to grip, this kitchen hero doubles as a pretty decent stand-in for dumbbells when you need a quick full body workout at home.
Don’t believe me? Grab that cooker, clear a little floor space, and let’s go through four exercises that’ll wake up every muscle in your body. No excuses, no fancy gear — just you, your cooker, and a little grit.
Why a Pressure Cooker Works
Before we jump in, let’s get this clear — a pressure cooker is obviously not designed to be lifted and swung around. So you’ll want to be careful with your grip. Make sure the lid is locked tight and the handles are sturdy. Most cookers are heavy enough to challenge your muscles, but light enough to avoid a total strain. If yours is huge, that’s extra resistance. If it’s small, slow down your reps and increase your sets.
Alright, let’s train.
1. Cooker Squats
Legs, glutes, core — squats are the king for a reason.
How To Do It:
- Hold the pressure cooker close to your chest, like you’re hugging it. Wrap your arms around the handles or hold the bottom if you can balance it.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Toes slightly out.
- Push your hips back and bend your knees to squat down. Keep your chest up, cooker tight to your body.
- Lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor (or as low as feels comfortable for your knees).
- Drive through your heels to stand back up.
Why It Works:
Hugging the cooker in front loads the squat, forcing your core to brace harder and your legs to work overtime. Plus, the cooker weight keeps you from leaning too far forward.
Make It Harder:
Add a pulse at the bottom. Squat down, come up halfway, drop back down, then stand. That burns.
2. Cooker Overhead Press
Time to hit your shoulders, arms, and upper back.
How To Do It:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hold the cooker by its side handles at chest level.
- Brace your core. Press the cooker straight up overhead until your arms are fully extended.
- Lower it back slowly to chest level. Keep your elbows under your wrists — no flaring out.
Why It Works:
This simple move builds shoulder strength and stability. Lifting something awkward like a cooker makes your smaller stabilizer muscles work harder too.
Make It Harder:
Do it single-arm style. Hold the cooker in one hand, press overhead. Switch sides. Your core will really feel the twist.
3. Cooker Russian Twists
Abs and obliques, here we come.
How To Do It:
- Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat.
- Hold the cooker with both hands close to your chest.
- Lean back slightly to feel your core engage.
- Lift your feet a few inches off the floor if you can.
- Twist your torso to the right, bringing the cooker toward the floor beside your hip.
- Twist to the left. That’s one rep.
Why It Works:
The cooker’s extra weight makes your core muscles fight harder to keep you stable. The twist hits those side abs that crunches often ignore.
Make It Harder:
Straighten your legs and keep them off the ground for more core tension.
4. Cooker Deadlifts
Deadlifts strengthen your entire backside — hamstrings, glutes, lower back. Don’t skip these.
How To Do It:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- Hold the cooker by the handles in front of your thighs, arms straight.
- Push your hips back, slight bend in the knees, and hinge forward from your hips. Keep the cooker close to your legs.
- Lower until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
- Squeeze your glutes to stand back up.
Why It Works:
Deadlifts teach you to lift with your hips and not your back — perfect for everyday movements. The cooker gives you just enough load to feel it without needing a barbell.
Make It Harder:
Do single-leg deadlifts. Hold the cooker in both hands, stand on one leg, hinge forward, then come back up. Switch sides. Your balance and glutes will light up.
Extra Tips to Keep It Safe
- Check Your Cooker: Make sure it’s empty and sealed. You don’t want a lid popping open mid-set.
- Clear Your Space: Give yourself room so you don’t smack your toe on a chair.
- Focus on Form: Slow down. Good form beats fast, sloppy reps.
- Warm Up First: A few arm swings, hip circles, and bodyweight squats get the joints ready.
- Stop If It Feels Weird: If the cooker feels too heavy or awkward, swap it for something lighter like a bag of rice.
How to Put It All Together
Here’s a quick sample circuit:
- 12 Cooker Squats
- 10 Cooker Overhead Presses
- 20 Cooker Russian Twists (10 each side)
- 12 Cooker Deadlifts
Rest for a minute. Do 3 to 4 rounds.
If you want to push it more, hold a plank at the end for 30 seconds. That’ll light your core up.
Why It’s Fun
This isn’t about turning your kitchen into a gym forever. It’s about proving you don’t need perfect conditions or expensive gear to break a sweat. Life gets busy, gyms close, equipment sells out. But you’ll always have a pressure cooker and 20 minutes if you really want it.
So next time you think, I can’t train today — no weights, remember this little cooker trick. Pick it up, get moving, and watch how strong you can get with what you’ve got.
Stay Safe and Keep Moving
Always remember, this is a bit of fun and creativity to keep your routine alive. If you love it, great — but don’t replace your dumbbells forever. And maybe clean your cooker when you’re done. Nobody wants last night’s curry sweat on their next meal.
