For the past couple weeks or so I have been jumping rope for ten minutes a day four days a week. The other three days I do some weight-bearing exercises with a couple dumb bells I have.
After I jump rope though -- wow! I feel better. And it really gets the heart pumping and the heavy breathing.
My plan is to bump up to 15 minutes next month and then in March bump up to 20.
I just put on some P-Funk or a couple disco songs and start jumping! Surprisingly fun work out. Very cheap and very minimalist.