1. Grab a towel and search "towel exercises" online. You'll find ways to use a simple piece of cloth as a source of support and resistance, and as a sliding apparatus.  

2. Fill water bottles and use them as dumbbells. A filled one-litre bottle weighs a kilogram. If you need more weight, use a bigger bottle.

3. Who needs a StairMaster when you've got the real thing? Use the staircase at home or find a few flights you can climb in a public space. You can use the bottom steps for lunges and pushups.

4. Borrow a  jump rope from the kids for a great aerobic workout. In just 10 minutes, a 160-pound woman can burn 125 calories.

5. Google "chair workout" and discover just how versatile a chair can be. Use it as a piece of gym equipment to work your core, arms, legs and more.

For more free workouts, try these great fitness apps and websites.
                                             

This story was originally titled "Free Fitness Gear" in the February 2014 issue.             Subscribe to Canadian Living today and never miss an issue!