Winter body weight workout

acaldwell3590
acaldwell3590 Posts: 15 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
As fall begins I realize that quickly, here in the midwest, my beautiful walks by the river are about to be done as the cold winter moves in. I hate going to the gym and often, having to get out of the house when it's freezing cold out is half of the reason I stop going at all, plus all the added gym rats with the new year. Currently I only walk and do various household projects that involve lifting and what not but nothing specific to toning my body. I love being physically strong but haven't really found anything that's easy to follow or time effective. I was wondering if any of you had some routines that you follow that have proven to be effective for you or places I can find some.

Thanks for any suggestions :smile:

Replies

  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
    look at www.nerdfitness.com They have a beginner and advanced bodyweight workout that you can do at home...
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    astrampe wrote: »
    look at www.nerdfitness.com They have a beginner and advanced bodyweight workout that you can do at home...

    I second body weight exercises... well that and walking. I don't bother with the gym either. I'd rather spend the extra half hour I'd use going to/from it exercising.
  • grubb1019
    grubb1019 Posts: 371 Member
    Also try fitnessblender.com
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    Why not just dress appropriately? Or walk away from the river where weather and wind is likely better.
  • meritage4
    meritage4 Posts: 1,441 Member
    Get good boots and coat and walk in the winter or cross country ski or snowshoe or ice skate. Now you are fitter you should be able to embrace winter and the activity choices that are offered.

    I'm sure you have heard "There is no such thing as bad weather just inadequate clothing choices"

    Really! I lived above the Artic Circle for a year. Dress well. Enjoy!
  • acaldwell3590
    acaldwell3590 Posts: 15 Member
    I definitely appreciate all your input but the fact of winter is...it gives me more room for failure. Plus I would like to use the time to build more strength, not just cardio capabilities. I love winter I just know myself. Plus, "dressing appropriate" isn't always an option when it comes to physical activity. Sweating in negative temperatures can cause hypothermia whether you dress warmly enough or cool enough not to sweat. Just looking for some alternatives to just walking by the river every day especially for the extra brisk days. :)
  • jdhcm2006
    jdhcm2006 Posts: 2,254 Member
    Youtube will be a really good friend, Fitness Blender & Body By Amy have really great channels. Also, you could look into getting a program like T25 or Insanity Max 30 off of eBay for a decent price. Maybe even look into joining a gym and start heavy lifting.

    I completely get it. I like to walk outside from time to time when the weather is nice, but not during the cold fall and winter evenings. Plus, in the midwest it gets dark quick due to daylight savings, so that also deters from wanting to take an evening walk.

    I'm sure you will find a good alternative. Play around with it a bit, it will work itself out.
  • Cbestinme
    Cbestinme Posts: 397 Member
    Second fitness blender - they have so many videos you are bound to find at least one or a few that suit you. there are also tons of yoga videos on youtube. I'm still trying to learn beginner moves and find that gives me quite a workout. :)
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    Get in YouTube and start finding some workout videos you like. I found several by Kendall Hogan, Denise Austin, the firm, and Jillian Michaels that are very good. There are many others...
  • michael1976_ca
    michael1976_ca Posts: 3,488 Member
    Beginner shred by Jillian Michaels. It 20 min long but one heck of a workout
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,615 Member
    Cross-country skiing?
  • westln
    westln Posts: 35 Member
    I suggest just doing all the routine body weight exercises
  • singletrackmtbr
    singletrackmtbr Posts: 644 Member
    Athlean Xero costs money, but is the best bodyweight program I've come across.
  • spzjlb
    spzjlb Posts: 599 Member
    edited October 2016
    acaldwell3590 wrote: »
    I definitely appreciate all your input but the fact of winter is...it gives me more room for failure. Plus I would like to use the time to build more strength, not just cardio capabilities. I love winter I just know myself. Plus, "dressing appropriate" isn't always an option when it comes to physical activity. Sweating in negative temperatures can cause hypothermia whether you dress warmly enough or cool enough not to sweat. Just looking for some alternatives to just walking by the river every day especially for the extra brisk days. :)

    Dressing appropriately for outdoor exercise is possible! I live in Quebec City - we have pretty harsh and long winters! I bundle up every day to take out my big dog and I am not alone. My community also has organized outdoor workouts in the woods; I have heard they are fantastic and tough but I've never tried - because dogs aren't allowed!

    All that said, I do hear you. There are lots on indoor possibilities. I always have enjoyed workout DVDs or on-line videos. You cannot go wrong with Jillian Michaels and her DVDs are readily available and inexpensive. If videos are not possible, PopSugar has lots of body weight routines that you can print out and do anywhere. This is just one of many:
    http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/photo-gallery/36274609/image/38591662/Bodyweight-Workout-Women

    Happy winter!
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    acaldwell3590 wrote: »
    I definitely appreciate all your input but the fact of winter is...it gives me more room for failure. Plus I would like to use the time to build more strength, not just cardio capabilities. I love winter I just know myself. Plus, "dressing appropriate" isn't always an option when it comes to physical activity. Sweating in negative temperatures can cause hypothermia whether you dress warmly enough or cool enough not to sweat. Just looking for some alternatives to just walking by the river every day especially for the extra brisk days. :)

    Well if you aren't a person that can stomach colder weather that is a issue, if your mind set is "I rather not".

    If you want to build strength, you will need something progressive in lifting which is kinda hard to do since you don't want to go to gym.

    There is a book that is called "Convict Conditioning" that might work for you and is proven. It would help retain muscle as you continue to lose fat, which I assume you mean by "tone".

  • a45cal
    a45cal Posts: 85 Member
    When doing resistance training, I find it's generally preferable to follow an established program instead of random exercises like you'll find on Fitness Blender.

    I don't have any personal experience with Convict Conditioning (as the above poster mentioned), but I've heard it recommended frequently.

    I can say that the body weight program in Strong Curves by Bret Contreras is a solid one. You can get the exercise templates online for free here: http://bretcontreras.com/wp-content/uploads/Strong-Curves-Workout-Templates.pdf (The relevant ones are about halfway into the pdf). But I recommend actually picking up the book. It'll give you a better understanding of the hows and whys of strength training, and if you ever decide to transition into weight lifting, you'll already have access to a good program for it.

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