Get fit with the housework workout

For years we were told that putting extra vigour into our daily chores made housework as effective a calorie-burner as a gym session. But last week, doctors dismissed dusting, cleaning and ironing as having no effect on our fitness, claiming we would be better off heading outside for a brisk walk.

But some leading fitness experts say the latest research is misleading. Celebrity personal trainer Cornel Chin, whose clients include Leonardo DiCaprio and Colin Firth, says housework plays a vital part in boosting the activity levels of many people.

"I teach a lot of my clients how to incorporate exercise into their daily chores," says Chin. "It's a very good way to add stretching and strengthening exercises to their fitness programme. Because it doesn't really raise the heart rate, it doesn't constitute a good aerobic workout, and you still need to walk, swim, cycle or jog every week. But housework has its benefits."

Here, with the help of Cornel Chin, we show how you can turn boring chores into a worthwhile workout:

Vacuuming

This is a great form of resistance training. Before you start, try doing some squats if you have an upright cleaner. Stand back from the vac with feet hip-width apart and your back straight, supporting yourself by placing your hands on the handle of the machine. Bend your knees and stick your bottom out so that you are working your leg muscles. Hold for a couple of seconds and return to the starting position. Repeat eight times.

When you turn the machine on, work the muscles in your arms by pushing and pulling with the machine. "As you push, you use the bicep muscles in the upper arm as well as chest and shoulder muscles," says Chin. "When you pull, you're working the tricep muscles at the back of the arm quite hard."

To work up a sweat, try to do the entire house in one go rather than a room at a time. And set the brush at its greatest resistance. "By changing the setting so that it is harder to pull and push the vacuum cleaner, you will increase the resistance and therefore work harder," says Chin.

Washing windows

Make it harder by stretching upwards higher than usual so that you work your back and shoulder muscles, says Chin. Avoid any twisting-type movements which can strain the lower back and don't stretch to the point of discomfort or you risk straining muscles.

If you find it hard, move a little closer so that the large muscle groups do more work. If you are using a bucket, don't put it right next to you - leave it on the floor some distance away so that you have to reach for it, remembering to bend your knees as you do so.

Polishing

If you need to move a lot of high shelves or trinkets, the benefits are great. Much of the work is done when you stretch as you reach out with your duster - you will be stretching your arms, pectoral muscles in the chest and your shoulders. Polishing brass items or shoes usually involves a scrubbing action, which works your muscles in the forearms, biceps and triceps.

Move the brush of a Brasso pad quickly, and swap hands regularly to avoid muscular imbalances. As you polish, try some bottom squeezes: count to 10 and, on each count, tighten your bottom muscles then relax them. On the last count, squeeze the gluteal muscles hard before relaxing - this will keep your bottom in shape.

Stair climbing

A great cardiovascular workout - the inspiration for the StairClimber machine at the gym was gleaned from normal stairs - which will strengthen calf and leg muscles. Walk up and down the stairs while you are cleaning for a total of 30 minutesand you will burn around 180 calories, the same as you would in an energetic form of dance. "If you have time, do repetitions of stair-climbing rather than spreading them throughout the day," says Chin. "Try walking up and down six times, taking a break and repeating it, to raise your heart rate. As you get fitter, carry your cleaning equipment with you."

Mopping

Try some lunges, using the mop for support. Place the mop on the floor in front of you so that it is at right angles to the floor. Hold with both hands and step forward into a lunge position - your right knee should be above your right heel, your left leg bent at the knee behind you.

Lower your hips and left knee towards the floor. Hold for five seconds and return to the start position before repeating on the other side. When you mop, use lots of elbow grease and hold in your stomach muscles while you work.

Lunge forward, bending your knees as you push back and forth. Lift the bucket with both hands so that you don't over-work one side of the body.

Carrying the shopping

This is weight-training of sorts, especially if you have a full trolley in the shop. "Pushing your trolley backwards and forwards simulates a weight-training machine and is good resistance work for the arms and abdominal muscles," says Chin. If you walk back home with your carrier bags, it will provide aerobic activity too. Try to make sure you have evenly weighted bags in each hand or swap on the way home.

Every now and then rest the bags on the floor and bend your knees before lifting them again to make sure your legs get a workout too. Walk at a reasonable pace for 30 minutes with heavy bags and expect to burn 170 calories, the same as you would on an 18-minute run. When you get home, try these quick and easy toning moves:

Bag raises: Take two evenly weighted shopping bags that are not too heavy and hold one in each hand. Stand upright with your stomach muscles tucked in and back straight. Raise the bags simultaneously until your arms are parallel to the floor. Hold for one or two seconds and lower back down. Repeat six times. This works the biceps, triceps and shoulder muscles as well as those in the upper back.

Bottle Bicep curls: Take a litre bottle of water and hold it against your thigh in your right hand. Stand upright with your back straight and slowly curl the bottle upwards until it reaches shoulder level. Return to the starting position in a slow, controlled movement and repeat 12 times before changing sides. This simulates the biceps curls you do at the gym.