Photo: eman_winston, Flickr

Chin-ups and pull-ups can help you get fit quick, says fitness instructor and holistic nutritionist Sarah Brown at That's Fit.ca, and as we all know, any strategy for getting in shape without a huge time commitment is a plus.

These two exercises, which are essentially the same except for hand position (palms face you for a chin-up; palms face away for a pull-up), are great because they work so many areas of the body all at one time, which means they won't suck up the minutes in your day.

Here, five exercises you can practice, and some tips from Brown on how to pull your weight on the bar, which you can find in the gym, on a playground, or you can even secure one in a doorway of your house.

Don't worry if your body won't budge at first. Just hanging from the bar is a good first step.