Gym Equipment You Didn't Know You Had

There is no good excuse to skip your strength training this winter. Even if you're snowed in and can't get to the gym, you can give those muscles a good workout.

Here is some of the weight lifting equipment you might not have realized that you have in your home:

1. Your own body.

That's right- you don't need a single piece of equipment to do squats, lunges, crunches or push ups.

2. A wall.

You can use a wall to do wall sits, assisted squats, incline push ups, and crunches.

3. A stair.

Put your hands on a stair to do push ups. When you get too tired, you can go up one stair to make it easier, and keep going. You can also switch things up by putting your feet on the stair and your hands on the floor.

Stairs are also great for dips. Put your hands on the stair and your feet on the floor, with your stomach facing the ceiling. Bend your arms to lower your weight toward the stairs, then straighten them to work your triceps.

Put one foot on a stair for lunges. Try lunges with a back foot on the stair, then try them with your front foot on the stair.

Use stairs as a guide for squats. Go as if you're going to sit on a stair, but at the last minute change directions and stand back up.

4. A chair.

Do dips on a chair. Start by sitting on a chair with your hands on the edge of the chair on either side of your hips. Reach your legs out long in front of you. Then, lift your body off of the chair, putting your weight on your hands. Bend your elbows to a right angle, lowering your body toward the floor. Straighten your arms, lifting your body weight up. Repeat.

Use a chair to work your hamstrings like you would with a leg curl machine. Lie on the floor with a rolling office chair by your feet. Dig your heels into the seat of the chair, and draw your feet in towards your body, dragging the chair with you. Keep your hips up high as you do this. Return the chair to the starting position, and repeat.

Use a chair to facilitate squats. Slowly lower your body as if to sit on the chair, but never quite allow your weight to rest on the chair. Straighten your legs back to a standing position, repeat.

Use a chair for push ups. You can place either your hands or your feet on the chair to change the angle of the push up and challenge your muscles in a new way. Want a real challenge? Use a rolling office chair, so you have to use your core muscles to keep the chair steady during the push ups.

5. A swingset.

You may find a pull up bar in your house or yard, if you use your imagination. One likely spot is the kids' swingset. Just grab onto the pole with a wide grip for pull ups or an inward facing close grip for chin ups. These are wonderful exercises for your back and biceps, as well as your shoulder muscles and abs. (See below for hints at mastering pull ups.)

6. Paper plates.

Now we're really getting creative. But, the truth is that paper plates make for an excellent ab workout. Kneel on the carpeted floor with each hand on a paper plate. Then, with stiff abs and core, slide your hands forward, extending your torso parallel over the floor. Next, use your abdominal muscles to pull your hands back underneath you. This is just like the as-seen-on-TV ab rollers.

7. A ball.

You can get a great ab workout "playing catch" with your child. Sit on a pillow on the floor with your legs bent in front of you, feet on the floor. Lay back until you feel your abs working to keep you upright. Then, have someone toss you a ball. Catch it, reach back with your arms, then flex your abs to throw the ball with your torso. Repeat until you're so tired that you remember that you're working out!

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