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Winter Exercise

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Winter Exercise Tips & Tricks

Workout, Running, Gym Shoes, Treadmill

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.

  1. Interval Training
  2. Cardio Step Workouts
  3. Ab Circuits
  4. Yoga
  5. Full Body Circuits
  6. Just Dance – A game found on all major devices like XBOX, PS4 etc.
  7. CrossFit Workouts
  8. Spinning Class
  9. Plyometrics
  10. Kettlebell Workouts
  11. Circuit Training
  12. Pilates
  13. TRX Workouts
  14. Zumba Classes
  15. 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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Use Winter Activities as a Workout: Think of sledding, ice skating, shoveling snow and skiing.
  4. Still Using the Cold as an Excuse: Do interval training in front of your TV.
  5. 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.
  6. 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. 

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