It's Cold Outside: How to Exercise at Home and Take Care of Yourself

Winter is upon us... or as the Starks would say: Winter is coming!

Cold and rainy days are becoming more and more usual, and motivation may drop. But you still want to exercise, don't you?

Sometimes playing sports or keeping up with your exercise routine is a challenge. Sometimes we want to exercise at home but without the gym machinery or a trainer to guide us, we don't really know how to train. Do all these doubts invade you and you don't know what to do?

Keep reading this blog to get your body healthy even if working out at home!

At Home Exercise

Many times we think that we cannot train at home due to lack of space or machinery. But this could not be further from the truth! There are many things at home that you can use as a substitute for machinery or weights. Let's get into it, shall we?

You can start with a general warm-up. You can also jog around the house if you have space. If not, you can do jumping jacks or mountain climbers even in a small room. Try doing 1-minute intervals and resting for 30 seconds. About 3-4 times. We assure you that you'll be warmed up by the end of it!!

Upper Body Workout

Push-ups are a very easy and comprehensive exercise for the upper body. You can do them on the ground, or against a wall if you are a beginner. If the ground is cold you can use a blanket. Although beware of slipping! Lie on your stomach and place your palms on the floor at shoulder height. Raise your body by keeping it upright without raising your glute and looking straight ahead. You can also do it by leaning on your knees. Perform 3 sets of 12 reps each.

Another high intensity exercise, which will surely bring your heart rate to the roof, is Burpees. They can be modified to fit your fitness level but they are the best full body workouts to be done at home. Start with a standing position, then drop to the ground, do a push up, jump up to a squat and then jump high. Then start again. Try doing 5 reps in a row, then continue until you are able to do 15 reps for each set. 

Shoulders. With a large towel you roll it up and grab one end with each hand. place them above your head and do two movements. Forward to shoulder height. And go back up. You can do this exercise sitting or standing. Repeat 3 sets of 15 times.

Lower Body Workout

Want to build legs and booty strength? Then squats are your answer. You can do them in many ways. But we recommend that you do it with your arms extended forward to intensify the exercise. Remember that when doing a squat, your knees must face in the same direction as your toes. If you have a pilates ball you can put it on the wall and support your back on it and lower slowly maintaining about 15 seconds to intensify the exercise. Repeat 3 sets of 15 reps.

Buttocks. Support your whole body on the floor, blanket or mat and put your hands down. Elevate your pelvis and keep your back straight. Then go down without touching the ground until you finish the repetitions. You can perform 3 sets of 20 repetitions.

Core Workout

ABS. There are many ways to do them. We are going to explain the simplest ones below. But we encourage you to investigate further and gradually move to harder versions.

For classic abs. Lying on the floor, place your hands behind your neck and lift to perform a crunch. Be careful with the neck and back. Perform 3 reps of 15

Scissor Abs. Lay your whole body down and raise your legs about 30º. Now make crosses with them simulating the movement of a scissors. You can do it up and down, or side to side. 30 seconds in 4 rounds will be enough.

As you can see, these routines are the ideal way to tone, keep moving and work your body during the colder days. You can do them all together or divided in several days. You can also do them 5-6 days a week or with intervals.

Depending on your physical condition and your usual routine, you can add weight or modify them. Remember that you should go little by little and that you will soon begin to notice changes. And remember that a cold day or at home should not demotivate you or prevent you from training your body.