Snow, sleet and ice make it difficult to go for your daily walks, runs or bike rides. Some people feel too intimidated in a gym environment or don’t want to exercise with others during a pandemic. Whatever the reason, sometimes your only option is to exercise indoors. Here’s how you can work out effectively either at home or on the road, even if you don’t have much equipment or space.

Grab your favorite pair of athletic shoes.

When you exercise indoors, it might feel less formal. However, wearing a good pair of shoes is vital whenever or wherever you exercise. Supportive athletic shoes help protect against common injuries. This includes foot, ankle, leg, back and even shoulder ailments. A good shoe also improves performance and helps you get the most from your routine. Go to an athletic store to be properly assessed and find the right shoe for your type of workout.

Don’t forget to warm-up first.

According to the American Heart Association, a good warm-up dilates your blood vessels which ensures that your muscles get much-needed oxygen. When your muscles are warm, rather than cold, you’ll benefit from flexibility and efficiency. Warm-ups also help lower stress on your heart by slowly raising your heart rate, rather than having it go up too quickly.

Warming up for 5-10 minutes will also guarantee a more effective workout than if you just jump into the exercises cold.

Use your own body.

Body workouts help you build endurance and strength while burning calories. If you quickly move from one exercise to the next, continually for the entire workout, you’ll keep your heart rate up. This allows you to burn more fat and get the most from your exercise routine.

Choose your focus: cardio, strength training, or both.

For cardio, choose ten exercises. Start out easy and slowly build to more difficult levels. For example:

1) walk around the house

2) march in place

3) jog in place

4) add in jumping jacks

5) end with burpees

For strength training, you can:

1) start with stretches

2) incorporate push and pull-ups

3) end with more intense core movements like lunges, dips and squats

Or combine the two for a more complete exercise routine.

DIY home workouts to try:

• Use everyday items as weights.
• Stretches make you stronger.
• Workout without any equipment.
• Create your own home gym on a budget.

Follow along with exercise videos.

If you do a quick internet search, you’ll be amazed at the variety of exercise videos available to you. Thousands of workouts, for every skill level or situation, help those at home get more structure in their routine.

Young or old, male or female, you can find several that will work for you. Make sure your wellness goal aligns with whatever you find, and the instructor holds your interest. Trying new kinds of exercises is sometimes easier from the privacy of your own home.

This is also a great solution for busy parents who want to squeeze in some physical activity either with little kids or when they go down for a nap. You don’t have to spend time getting a sitter or factoring in the drive time. You just find some videos ahead of time and have them ready to go when you want to exercise.

Popular videos when you exercise indoors.

• These are all the rage on YouTube and promise to keep you moving.
• Popular DVDs that you can purchase and have at the ready whenever you’re in the mood to exercise.
• Best exercise videos for sale on Amazon might also be a good option for parents and caretakers.

Join an online gym.

Online gyms offer a monthly or quarterly subscription in exchange for access to live stream workout classes you can take anywhere. Find at-home workouts, group exercise classes, and one-on-one training sessions. These come in different styles, programs and fitness levels.

Some popular online gyms include:

• Tracy Anderson
• Beach Body workouts on demand
• Obe Fitness

Find great trainers on social media.

Some world-famous instructors have discovered a great way to reach more people. They workout live on platforms like TikTok, YouTube and Instagram every day. Added bonus: these are free to watch, and you can join along when you’re ready.

For people who want to work out with others, but must exercise indoors and alone for whatever reason, this is a great fix. The camaraderie makes participants feel less alone.

Follow these great trainers online.

• Serious fitness inspiration.
• Fitness professionals who motivate and get people moving.
• Coaches who will get you working out in no time from home.  

Get your kids in on the action.

Just because kids are inside, doesn’t mean they can’t stay active. Like adults, children should have 20-30 minutes of physical activity every day. And this can be done inside. 

Have your kids participate with you and let them go at their own speed. This includes do-it-yourself routines, videos and streaming classes. Make working out a family affair!

Online classes from KidzToPros combine exercise indoors with other interesting programs.

• After-school programs get your kids moving and burning energy while engaging their other interests at the same time.
• Kids participate in online summer camp programs from anywhere in the world. Get them off the couch for enrichment and exercise all summer long.

Don’t forget to cool down.

Regular cool-downs after exercise is important because it’s best to gradually decrease your heart rate and cardiovascular output. This slower ending is better for your system than a sudden stop. Just like warming up ahead of time reduces injury, so does cooling down. You’ll cramp less and feel better when you’re finished.

No matter if you’re stuck inside from winter weather, shyness or a pandemic – there are ways to exercise indoors every day. Try some of these routines and keep your fitness level up, no matter where you find yourself.