No equipment necessary

Running shoes? $100. Gym membership? $35 a month. Personal trainer? $50 an hour. Bottled water? $3.

But you don't need all this expensive gear to get a good workout. At little to no cost, you can give yourself the gift of good health. And that's priceless.

Better Bodies in Fort Mitchell (www.betterbodiesnky.com ) is one of the largest gyms in Northern Kentucky. The multi-floor complex offers Spinning classes, tanning beds and plenty of fitness services, including free weights, treadmills and Hammer Strength machines.

But fitness director Justin Rahschulte, a National Strength and Conditioning Association certified personal trainer, says if you think you need to use a lot of machines to get in shape, you're mistaken.

Plenty of people tell Rahschulte they can't afford to join a gym or buy exercise equipment. He says body-weight exercises such as body squats and push-ups are a great solution to the problem. "You're getting active," he says. "It's saving you from sitting on the couch."

Rahschulte says equipment-free workouts are just as good as any other ­ as long as you stick with them. He says the three keys of exercise are consistency, intensity and time.

"Don¹t get frustrated, especially if you¹re just beginning an exercise routine ­ you¹re going to have those downfalls"² he says."³Know your goals, know your routine and stay to those routines."

Stand with your back against a wall with your hands parallel to your sides, palms flat against the wall. Bend your knees so that you move to a seated position with your thighs parallel to the ground (making sure to keep your knees from extending over your toes) and hold the position for 20-40 seconds before pushing your body up as you stand against the wall. Rest no more than 35 seconds in between each set.

Start with your feet spread shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Step forward with one foot and bend your leg at a 90-degree angle so your thigh is parallel to the floor - don't let your knee extend past your foot. Your stationary leg should be bent at a 90-degree angle as well, with your knee as close to the ground as possible without touching it. Be sure to not dip your head toward the ground. Bring your feet together and repeat the process with your other leg.

First, get into a plank position by balancing your body on your toes and hands, spreading your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart with your palms flat on the floor and your arms straight.

Keeping your arms tucked in parallel to your sides, bend your arms and lower your body to the floor until your chest touches the ground, and then straighten your arms as you push your body up off the floor with your palms remaining fixed and your body straight. Look slightly forward rather than down at the floor, so your chin (not your nose) points toward the floor.

Touching your shoulders with your hands, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Next, in a move similar to a wall sit, squat down while being sure to keep your knees from extending over your toes to retain proper muscle tension. Return to starting position and repeat, doing as many repetitions as possible in 30 seconds to 1 minute.

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