Weather Woes? Tips for Making Inside Workouts Work

There’s nothing quite like spring to get us reinvigorated for our workouts and turn our minds to the great outdoors. Temperamental spring weather, however, can quickly ruin some of our best fitness plans. But don’t waste your exercise hour gloomily looking out the window just yet ­— there are some great indoor alternatives that can keep you in shape and prepare you for some outdoor fitness come better weather.

Replicate the Outdoors

Did you know that you need to have your treadmill set to a slight incline to replicate the experience of walking on pavement? Don’t worry though, you won’t have to set that incline high to get the same results. A 1% incline ensures that you’re exerting the same amount of energy as walking outside on a flat road.

While you’re at it, try walking at varying inclines. There can be great benefits to incline walking, such as less joint pain and the chance to get a good stretch for several different muscles. Also, researchers found that higher incline or ramp angles reduces the perceived exertion level. You’ll feel like you’re doing less but in actuality, you will be burning more calories.

There are other ways to bring the outdoors inside. When walking outdoors, you walk downhill as well as uphill, and improve your agility by dodging potholes, kids on bikes and other obstacles. There’s no reason why you can’t experience the same inside. After doing 15 minutes on your cardio machine, pull a Rocky and climb the stairs a few times. Live in a one story? Work on your balance by doing step-ups on a low stool or chair. After a quick exercise, hop back on the machine and keep your heart rate up.

Make It Fun

Workouts can sometimes feel like a chore, especially on bad weather days where you’d rather stay in bed. Instead of letting yourself fall into that mindset, pair your exercise routine with something fun like your favorite TV show or movie. Try running during the show and walking during the commercial breaks or vice versa.

Create games to challenge yourself. If you have a stationary bike, do “jumps” (lift out of the seat, do a quick burst of pedaling, sit and repeat) every time a character says a certain word. By getting creative, you can join two activities, save time and have more fun.

Focus on the Positive

If you’ve been pounding the rotating rubber all winter and are starting to lose interest in your treadmill or other cardio machine, remember why you first chose your machine. Your machine keeps you aware about the work you’re doing. Are you running at a speed of 5.5 when yesterday you were at a 6? On Precor treadmills for example, your machine’s console tells you everything from distance traveled, heart rate, incline, speed and pace and more. These numbers keep your fitness goals on track. No city street can give you that kind of feedback.

While you can’t control the weather, you can make the choice to not let it affect your fitness progress. We’d love to hear your tips. What are your favorite ways to keep an inside workout fresh?