by Matt Bird

Created on: June 10, 2009

There's entirely too much reliance on high-tech, high-expense gyms these days. They're great at what they do, sure, and can probably get you to your exercise goal more efficiently than anything else - but who ever said they're the only option?

Anybody who does is delusional. It's just as easy to exercise at home, as well, whether you have all the fancy equipment or not. Indeed you need not buy a single thing beyond a good pair of shoes and a water bottle, if you're so inclined. Here are some good exercises you can do without even leaving the comfort of your basement.

- Jogging on the spot. I generally prefer heading out into the world to do jogging as just standing in one place gets a bit dull after a while, but if you've got a television and a good view you can keep jogging in one place for a long, long time. One thing to note: you should make sure you're wearing your shoes while doing this, and put an extra rug under your feet. Jogging on concrete alone is pretty hard on your feet.

- Weight lifting. Though it's generally not recommended to lift tons of weight without a spotter, you can get away with moderate amounts on your own. For the most efficient job at this you'll need a weight set, granted, though you can usually get a decent used set for a relatively small amount of cash. (Check garage sales, they're especially good for these surprise finds.) Barring weights you can also lift pretty much anything that's heavy, as long as it doesn't put undue strain on your back and can be lifted repeatedly.

- Sit ups. Great for your abdomen and easy to do pretty much anywhere. When you're starting out I'd suggest slipping your feet under a chair or couch, though once you get used to the position you can drop wherever you want and start up.

- Push ups. Good for both your abdomen and your arms, push ups are just as easy to pull off anywhere as sit ups (though doing a push up will probably be harder). Doing a set of push ups every now and then as you're doing things around the house isn't a bad idea, either, and it keeps your arms from getting so tired that you can't exercise any longer.

- Lunges and squats. Both easy and great for your legs. You'll need a decent amount of space and balance, but once you've got both you can pull off either with little difficulty.

- Stair climbing. You'd be amazed how tiring this gets, especially if you have a long stretch of stairs. A few repetitions will have you gasping pretty good. This is especially good if you live in an apartment building and can use the stairs between floors (and won't drive people crazy with your echoing footsteps).

There are dozens of other variations of all of these that are really easy to manage at home. All you need is a little creativity, some music to keep you going and the willpower to stay away from the fridge and you'll find your house as good as any gym out there.

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