Ten tips to getting fit in January - without leaving your front door

IT’S that tired old cliché of January: lose the festive weight by joining a gym, or get outside and start running off those extra pounds. But for those of you tired of cancelling direct debits and battling through the wind and rain in an attempt at a regular jogging routine, we have just the remedy: The Scotsman’s indoor workout.

Here is how you do it: by harnessing the power of your house’s doors, walls, and stairs,. You can tone up just metres from the sofa, and collapse back on it when you’re done. We have varied the difficulty of our exercises by using a rating to suggest where you should start given your own base level of fitness, to avoid over-exertion and injury. You can choose the length of the workout that suits you best, but government guidelines suggest that a minimum of 30 minutes a day, five days a week is needed to maintain a healthy weight.

Accidents are most likely to happen in the home, so be aware of who is around you and of the durability of any surfaces or doors you are using to help you exercise. Finally, try and enjoy yourself. Our exercise tips ensure you get fit and stay fit – without the hassle of the gym.

JUMPING SQUATS

These super squats are a good cardio workout that will push your thigh muscles to the limit. Simply perform a regular squat with a straight back and thighs parallel to the floor at the lowest point, then spring back up into the air. Make sure you push straight upwards and raise your hands above you while doing so. If you’re feeling very advanced, you could hold a medicine ball in your hands as you perform this.

STAIRS WORKOUT

Running up and down stairs repeatedly at speed is a great way to raise your heart rate and increase agility. For those wanting to build up arm strength, a stair provides an easier way to a full press up. Simply assume a press-up position at the desired height of your choice and do two sets of ten, with a short rest in between. Repeat for dips by placing your arms behind you and hold on to the stair, then move your bottom towards the floor and push back up.

SKIP YOUR WAY TO FITNESS

Skipping is one of the few activities that unites children and heavyweight boxers. Beyond increasing your speed and agility, skipping is also a great fat burner. The best way to do this is to skip slow and fast at intervals of three minutes. This is not one for those with weak knees, however, as skipping is a high impact activity and should be done wearing some properly cushioned shoes. If you’re feeling really advanced, try the ‘criss-cross’ – cross your hands over your body while attempting to keep jumping over the rope, then return to the normal jumping action.

TAKE INSPIRATION FROM AMERICA’S PRISON POPULATION

Felon Fitness is a book by American convicts who show you how to keep fit in very basic surroundings. Their exercises include: the handstand press-up –walk your feet up a wall while on your hands, then do a vertical push-up. These are extremely difficult, so don’t worry if you only manage one or two and can’t quite touch your head on the floor. Celly press-up – get a willing partner to lie with their back on your back as you assume a press-up position, then very slowly attempt to push their weight up and down with your arms.

INVEST IN A LITTLE EQUIPMENT

Lee Meadows, a personal trainer at Fighting Fit Training Systems in Edinburgh, says £7 can get you enough equipment for a full body workout. “Resistance band sets are £7 online and by using the bands around your body and attached to door frames, for example, you really can tone up every muscle group.” Make sure you choose a resistance band set that includes a DVD so you know how to get started, and be aware of the different widths and thicknesses of the bands –the thicker and wider they are, the more difficult they are to use.

IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE A CHORE

Ever noticed how vacuum cleaning or scrubbing a floor leaves you out of breath? That’s because some chores are physically exerting, and incorporating them into a weekly routine will make your house – and your body – look better. Repetitive activities like scrubbing, mopping, and dusting can get your heart rate up, and DIY should require some more strength work as you carry heavy items and shift furniture. Gardening is also excellent for your muscles, but it does require you to go outside.

THE JANE FONDA WAY

You may have thought exercise videos had gone out with shoulder pads and The Cure, but the 1980s favourite is back in a new format. Exercise DVDs, especially those with celebrity backing, have made a comeback, particularly those with yoga or Pilates themes. Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna swear by the “Tracy Anderson method” – and Anderson, a former dancer, right, has made millions sculpting bodies with a lean, slightly muscular look. Everyone from Davina McCall to Mel B has a fitness DVD – it’s up to you to decide whose will fit what you’re looking for, and how much of these celebrities you can stand in a single session.

THE OLD STANDARDS

Push-ups, sit-ups, and squats remain popular for a reason in the fitness community: they really work. These exercises are still used by professional athletes alongside more advanced training, and are great for arms and core strength. Men should try two sets of ten of each to start with, and women may prefer two sets of five for the push- ups until upper body strength is increased. Squats are a fantastic option for the thighs, buttocks, and core – just the areas that could do with some extra work after Christmas and Hogmanay have left them squashier than usual.

THE EXPENSIVE OPTION

The Wii Fit is for anyone wanting a more interactive experience as it offers exercise via games played on TV. The Wii Fit currently sells for £69.99 on Amazon.co.uk and includes a balance board where you can do a range of challenges, including stretches, yoga positions, and aerobics. The Wii Fit has the added benefit of measuring your weight and BMI, so you can keep track of your progression towards a killer six-pack.

MAKE LIKE SPIDERMAN

Place your hands about half a metre apart and your feet slightly wider than that on the floor. From this position, jump your arms and legs outwards so that your nose almost touches the ground, then repeat this again so that you are almost face down on the floor. The next step is to repeat but to bring your arms and legs inwards in two steps, back to the position in which you started. This requires excellent core and arm strength, and don’t be ashamed of falling flat the first couple of times.