4 Indoor Exercises for Winter

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As winter comes, you may start to feel less motivated to exercise outdoors. With the temperature dropping and the daylight hours getting shorter, your outdoor workout environment can be tough, making it harder to stay active during winter.

How Do I Stay Active in Winter?

Whether you choose to wrap up warm and brave the cold, or take your workout indoors, there are plenty of ways to stay active during winter.

Remember to wear layers that can be removed if you continue your outdoor exercise routine. But if you don’t have appropriate winter workout clothes, try indoor exercise instead. We’ve put together four of the best exercises you can do indoors this winter.

woman in indoor swimming pool

But First… Don’t Forget to Warm Up

Warming up before starting any exercise can be beneficial all year round, not just during winter. It helps to gradually raise your body temperature and heart rate, preparing your body for the session.

Sufficient warmups usually take 10 minutes and can help to reduce the risk of injuries. Moves such as arm circles, lunges and hip rotations are suitable for indoor workouts.

You can also make Garden of Life’s Plant-Based Proteins part of your warm-up routine. Containing caffeine and vitamin B12, take this pre-workout supplement 20 minutes before your exercise session for an energy boost that’ll get your body ready to combat any workout this winter.

4 Best Indoor Exercises for Winter

Check out four of the best exercises that you can do indoors this winter that require no additional equipment.

1. Swimming

If you’re looking for an indoor exercise that builds endurance while increasing muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness, you need to give swimming a try. Swimming raises your heart rate in a short amount of time, making it a great exercise for burning calories and losing weight, while the water resistance helps to reduce the impact of stress on your body.

2. Yoga

Yoga is another great winter exercise that you should try at home. It can help to improve your muscle strength and flexibility, and it also helps to burn calories.

For beginners, yoga poses such as the warrior and triangle pose are classic positions to start with, which help to practice your balance and get you ready for more advanced postures.

To start with, it’s recommended to set your duration for each position from 30 seconds to 4 minutes. If you’re a confident yogi, you can gradually increase your duration for each posture.

woman practicing yoga indoors

3. HIIT Workouts

HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training, which is a form of full-body cardiovascular exercise. A typical HIIT session takes no more than 20 minutes, which makes it a great choice for those who are short of time.

One session normally consists of three or four moves, such as side plank walks, burpees, jumping lunges and mountain climbers.

It’s recommended to repeat the moves with five sets, completing each exercise with 30 seconds of work followed by 30 seconds of rest.

Thanks to the intensity of a HIIT session, your raised heart rate will last for hours after finishing, keeping you warm and helping your body to keep burning calories at a higher rate than normal.

4. Dancing

Dancing is another great full-body indoor exercise. With a laptop or tablet, you can easily follow online dance classes and complete this fun winter workout at home.

Alternatively, you can also book a lesson at your local gym for a more immersive workout environment, from Zumba to hip-hop to ballroom sessions. Dancing is suitable for people of all ages and helps you to work on your flexibility, endurance and muscle strength.

Post-Workout Energy Refuel

After finishing your winter workout routine, don’t forget to refuel your body with the energy it needs. Our grass-fed whey protein powders, available in a delicious Chocolate or Vanilla flavour, are designed to contribute to the maintenance and growth of muscle mass, especially after intensive exercise.

They also contain 6g of BCAA, 4g of glutamine and essential amino acids, providing your body with all-round support after exercise.

Indoor workouts can reduce your exposure to sunlight, which can further limit your vitamin D intake. Find out how to get enough vitamin D during winter to help your body continue to function normally: