Shaw says push-ups, which require no equipment, are a great way to firm the upper body and core.
Beginners should start out doing them on their knees, and build up to doing to them with legs straight, while balancing on their toes.
When that gets easy, Shaw suggest incline pushups, where you put your hands on a chair. Then, the ultimate challenge: decline pushups with hands on the floor and toes on the chair.
To further firm your abs and core, Shaw recommends crunches, on the floor, or on an exercise ball -- which you can buy at a sporting goods store or even some discount stores for about $20 dollars.
For an inexpensive cardio workout, Shaw suggests running up and down your steps.
He says this is preferable to a stair-climbing machine, because you use your upper body and burn more calories.
Shaw says you can also use the steps to tone your inner and outer thighs. To do this, stand sideways, step one leg out onto the steps, bend your knees, then straighten up and put your legs back together.
Finally, for bicep and tricep curls, you can use weights, an exercise band (they sell for less than $15.00), or even milk cartons.
Shaw suggests saving empty milk cartons and filling them up with water.
Start with about a quarter of carton, and add more water to increase the resistance as you get stronger.
Shaw's client, Noelle Peter, tried out these moves and said she felt she'd had a great workout.
Plus, she added, it would be easy to make the workout harder or easier depending on how she felt on a particular day.
To see a demonstration of each exercise, click on the links below:
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