Winter Exercise Tips & Tricks

Working out in the winter is never very pleasant. For some reason when you’re cold you just lose motivation to go for a swim or to get sweaty. Even though you maybe made “exercising more” a New Year Resolution, you may find it difficult to become motivated to keep going. If so, we have tips and tricks to hopefully help you figure out how to stay motivated.

Easy Winter Exercise Activities – WebMD

WebMD gives some great advice to just get up and do something during the winter.

Cardio Bursts

Instead of sitting around, try 60 second cardio bursts. These bursts help increase longevity and can help with decreasing your risk of heart disease.

Try out these exercises to get a quick burst:

Jumping Jacks
Football Drills
Running in Place with High Knees
Simulate Jumping Rope
Pump Both Arms Over Your Head then Alternately Tap Your Feet
Use the Stairs

Strength Building

If you want to focus on toning and building muscle, you can also do strength training bursts or sets.

Try out these exercises to build your muscles:

Squats or One-Legged Squats
Butt Kicks
Leg Lifts
Chair Dips
Push Ups

Stretching

Sometimes you may become very tight due to walking in snow or even from shoveling driveways. If you find yourself sore or inflexible, try to do some easy stretches.

Try out these exercises to loosen your muscles and increase your flexibility:

Sit in a Chair and Reach for the Sky
Alternate Your Head from Leaning to One Side or the Other
Sit Up Straight and Try to Touch Your Shoulder Blades Together
Try to Touch Your Toes

15 Workouts When You’re Stuck Inside

Check out this awesome list of workouts from SkinnyMom.com. They are extremely resourceful and easy to complete. A lot of these workouts can be found online or need equipment that isn’t too expensive or you already have laying around.

Interval Training
Cardio Step Workouts
Ab Circuits
Yoga
Full Body Circuits
Just Dance – A game found on all major devices like XBOX, PS4 etc.
CrossFit Workouts
Spinning Class
Plyometrics
Kettlebell Workouts
Circuit Training
Pilates
TRX Workouts
Zumba Classes
Tabata Workouts

How to Prep for Winter Exercise

Bustle.com offers its readers a couple of different ways to really kick the laziness associated with cold weather. Check out their tips below:

Get Yourself an Outdoors Workout Get-Up: Try to properly dress depending on the temperature of the weather. It will help you retain body heat and keep your muscles healthy.
You Should Run When It’s Snowing: If you run through snow, you can burn around 15% more calories than you normally would. If you are worried about slipping, try to find traction gear to pull over your running shoes. A popular brand is YakTrax cleats.
Use Winter Activities as a Workout: Think of sledding, ice skating, shoveling snow and skiing.
Still Using the Cold as an Excuse: Do interval training in front of your TV.
Don’t Be Afraid to Go Slower: If you do brave the elements, take it slow and enjoy the scenery. Because of the cold, the chances of pulling a muscle increase.
Take the Stairs

FREE DOWNLOADS:

Check out this desk stretch routine from OhSheGlows.com

Need Help with Dressing for the Weather? Check out this SparkPeople.com infographic.