Ever wish you could get snowed in? I admit I think it’d be pretty nice. Granted, of course, that there was food in the house and we were otherwise prepared for it.
Ah, to be “stuck” inside, warm, sipping on Constant Comment tea, looking over the snow covered yard ... (insert dreamy look here).
Winter time can make it difficult to get enough exercise for a variety of reasons. Some weather related and some motivation related. So, in this column we’ll talk about a few workout ideas we can do when we don’t feel like heading to the gym. A plus is that they require minimal equipment.
Here are five winter workouts for when it’s too cold to head outside or when the roads are icy:
•Workout 1 –
15 rounds:
5 push ups
5 squats
5 sit ups
•Workout 2 –
10 rounds:
10 walking lunges
10 push ups
•Workout 3 –
3 rounds:
100 jump rope singles
20 squat and press
A squat and press is also called a Thruster. Hold a dumbbell in each hand like you’re going to do a shoulder press (elbows are in front of your body, not to the side). Squat down and as you return to standing, press the weights above your head using the momentum generated by your legs.
•Workout 4 –
Rotate through the following plank positions:
:60 extended-arm plank
:30 elbow plank
:30 raised left leg
:30 raised right leg
:30 left side plank
:30 right side plank
:30 extended-arm plank
:60 elbow plank
•Workout 5 –
Here is one I created for our old gym. It’s called Muscle Melody. The general gist is that you do a certain movement when the song plays and at certain lyrics you do a different exercise.
Download the following songs on a play list, in this same order, and do these exercises:
“My Sharona” by The Knack – start with alternating lunges and every time he says ‘my,’ ‘Sharona,’ or ‘wooo’ do a jump tuck, bent over row, or a pull up;
“The Stroke” by Billy Squier – do flutter kicks and every time they say “stroke” do a full sit up. Support your back and transition to bicycle legs when needed.
“Flower” by Moby – do squats with the song. When he says go up, go up, when he says down, go down. May add weight.
“Black Betty” by Ram Jam – hold a plank throughout the song and every time he says ‘Black Betty’ or ‘bam ba lam,’ do a push up.
“You Give Love a Bad Name” by Bon Jovi – do jumping jacks throughout and pop out a burpee every time he says ‘shot through the heart’ and ‘give love a bad name.’
Have fun! You may never look at these songs in the same way again.
Scale, up or down, any of these workouts by repetitions, time or movements as needed to meet your needs and ensure you’re using proper form. Add a warm up and cool down to these workout options and you’ll be all set for those days when you don’t want to or can’t leave the house.
•
Lauren Bearden is assistant editor at The News Observer. She can be reached at 706-632-2019 or by email at lauren@thenewsobserver.com.