9 Tips for Staying Active Indoors This Winter
When it snows in the Upper Midwest, it really snows. But that doesn’t mean you have to stop living an active lifestyle. You can do plenty of indoor activities and exercises to maintain your weight and energy when it's too cold to do anything outside.
Are you looking to stay in better shape this winter? Here are nine activities you can do to break a sweat when the temperature starts to drop!
1. Set Fitness Goals
The best way to start strong this winter is to set goals. What do you want to accomplish this winter in terms of your health and fitness?
Outline these goals and break them into smaller, easily accomplishable goals, which helps keep you motivated and on task. Keep track of your progress each week or so and celebrate small victories. You can also partner up to keep each other motivated.
2. Home Workouts
These days, there are plenty of ways to stay active during the winter. There are a variety of apps, YouTube videos, and other resources so you can get in a home workout without much equipment.
You can include cardio, strength training, and flexibility, all in about the space of a yoga mat. Including simple equipment like resistance bands, dumbbells, or kettlebells can help keep your routine varied and interesting. Use your home’s staircase as a cardio exercise, too!
3. Pick-Up Basketball
Many gyms that have basketball courts will have games of pick-up basketball. If you love basketball, try playing an hour or two of pick-up basketball at least once a week for a great workout.
Plus, you can dust off your game against some of your friends! There is nothing like a little pickup basketball to get the competitive juices flowing. You can also keep your skills sharp using these basketball drills to improve your shot.
4. Hit the Swimming Pool
Whether you have a gym membership or a local community center pool, you can spend time getting in some laps this winter before or after work. Swimming is a low-impact exercise that doesn’t put a lot of strain on your muscles or joints.
It might even beat yoga as the best training method to improve your breathing. The best part? Swimming helps you lose weight faster than any other workout.
5. Climb an Indoor Rock Wall
Indoor rock wall climbing is a great cardio workout and really shows off your physical strength. Climbing indoors can increase your heart rate and burn up to 650 calories per house. It’s a full-body workout that you’ll feel in your arms, legs, and back. Plus, it’s fun!
You can spend time trying out new and more difficult courses or race your friends to see who can make it to the top first!
6. Join a Dodgeball League
A popular indoor winter sports option is to play indoor dodgeball. Your local community gym might have a league you can join, and you can relive fond memories of elementary school gym class.
Playing a competitive game of dodgeball with your co-workers or friends is always fun. Dodgeball is a good cardio workout because of the different ranges of motion that go into it, including ducking and flying all over the court to avoid getting hit.
You might be a little sore afterward if you haven’t done it in a while, especially in your arms, so be sure to warm up and stretch your muscles before beginning. Remember the five D’s of dodgeball: dodge, duck, dip, dive, and dodge.
7. Take a Spin Class
Riding a bike indoors or outdoors is an enjoyable and great full-body workout. A spin class is an intense indoor cycling class that helps you burn hundreds of calories each session without struggling through the snow and slush outdoors.
You can really focus on strengthening your glutes, thighs, and calf muscles. It also helps strengthen your core, and the best part is you don’t have to wear a helmet inside!
8. Indoor Sports
There are plenty of ways to enjoy indoor sports during the winter. Some gyms or recreational centers have indoor tennis, badminton, pickleball, basketball, or racquetball courts. These are fun ways to get in a little exercise while improving your coordination and cardio.
You can also consider building your own indoor sports court so you can get the exercise and fun you need without leaving the house! Check out our “Design a Court” feature today!
9. Keep Your Skills Sharp
If you play a sport, it’s important to keep your skills sharp during the off-season. Using workout routines and drills can help you maintain and improve your skills when you can’t play outside. For example, there are plenty of volleyball drills to keep you coordinated.
If you don’t know how to play a sport and want to learn, winter is the perfect time to study up and practice a new skill. Want to learn how to play tennis? Grab a racquet and a friend, and start playing!
Build Your Own Indoor Sports Arena
C&C Courts is your premier source for helping you stay fit during the long winter months! If you’d like to learn more about our indoor court and flooring options, be sure to take a look at some examples of our athletic courts here.
For more information or if you have any questions, give us a call at 414-377-5294 or send us a message on our website! We wish everyone a safe, happy, and active winter season!
