If you have ever considered buying a gym membership, or even trying one out because you have had a cold call or seen a small ad that says you should try before you buy, you will quickly realise that you could be wasting your money.

In the gym, sweaty bodies are pumping away the iron in an attempt to get the body beautiful, and you walk in and you are either chubby or on the skinny side.  There is one of two reactions in your brain: you freak and run away never to return again, or else you rise to the challenge and join the ranks.
Sure you can get yourself a good body in a gym.  I know I have been there.  But here’s the good news, you don’t have to go down the gym and stand in front of posing mirrors – or rather stand trying to avoid the posing mirrors – you can get in shape in lots of other ways.  And the best news is that although those ways are a bit more investment at the beginning, the saving you make over just one year’s gym membership is incredible.  I am talking about using free weights at home.

Naturally you need to be careful, but you don’t need to buy a huge stack of weights, benches and multiple dumbbell weights to start off.

Here’s my tip:  get a chair, and learn to do dips.  Start doing some press ups.  Start some simple split squats without any weights.  Do some crunches. (I will give you a quick explanation of these exercise at the end of this article.)

Then, in about 4 weeks time once you have that lot down you can buy a light bar and light weights, and then add to your collection as you get stronger.

The other thing that is really useful is to take a complimentary exercise as well.  Do the complementary exercise on a different day though, otherwise you will burn out.  Something like cycling would be ideal.

Sample exercise plan

1. Dips:  Sit on a normal chair which has strong legs.  Put your hands firmly on the front edge of the chair and shift your bottom off and forwards so that your weight is supported by your hands.  Stretch out your legs straight in front of you, and then keeping them straight lower yourself slowly over the count of 3 to the floor, and then push back up again.  Aim for 10.
2. Press ups.  You can either lean on your knees or your toes.  Whatever, there should be a straight line from your contact with the floor to your shoulders throughout the movement.  Arms slightly wider than shoulder width apart, lower yourself as low as you can, perhaps brushing your nose on the carpet, and push back up.  Breathing the same as with the dips.
3. Split squats.  With or without a dumbbell weight in each hand.  A plastic bottle of water is ideal for this!  Stand straight up and take a long pace forwards.  Keep your upper body upright and slowly lower yourself so that your trailing leg knee brushes the floor.  Push back up and step back.  Repeat on the other leg.  That is one.
4. Crunches.  Suck in your abs, and lift your head, neck, shoulders and finally middle back off the floor.  Hold it for one and lower slowly.  The whole movement should be slow and even.  Repeat 10 times, and never pull on your head.

Do the whole circuit 3 times, and only stop for a breather at the end of each crunch set.  Spend time stretching afterwards.