Winter is officially here, and in Minnesota, that means we’re in for a few months where we’ll be lucky to see temperatures above the freezing point. It can be easy to want to curl up by the fire or in a nice warm blanket on the couch, but your body needs exercise and movement if it’s going to stay in peak condition. But if you don’t want to bundle up for a run through snow and ice, what are some of your other options to stay fit throughout the winter? We take a look at five ways to safely exercise throughout the cold winter months.
Getting Exercise During The Winter
You want to stay active and healthy during the winter, but you don’t want to have to go outside in the elements where it’s cold and slippery. Here are five easy ways to stay active this winter.
- Home-Based Workouts – You don’t need to have a fancy home gym in order to get a nice workout in. Nowadays it’s very easy to find an exercise routine that doesn’t require any special equipment on Youtube or on the internet. Fire up Youtube on your smart TV, Roku or Apple TV to find a 15-minute workout that you can do each day that will challenge your muscles without having to step outside.
- Hit The Office Gym – A number of businesses have gyms or fitness centers inside the building or somewhere on campus, and you really should take advantage of these resources in the winter. If you’re already in the office, you might as well stay and do a quick workout before you head out for the evening. Pack some workout clothes and head to your company’s fitness center after work when it’s too cold to exercise outside.
- Swim – You might not be able to do this exercise from the comfort of home, but swimming in a heated pool can be rejuvenating and physically challenging at the same time. Swimming is also easy on your joints compared to a high-impact exercise like running, so it will strengthen your body without overloading your joints with stress. Check around at local pools to see when open swim is and develop a winter swimming habit.
- Physical Therapy – If you’re dealing with chronic pain or stiffness, sync up with a physical therapist over the winter so that you’re back to peak physical function when the weather warms up. We can meet with you in person on a regular or semi-regular basis and set you up with home-based exercises and training routines to help you become more physically fit. Whether you want to become stronger, have less pain or reduce inflammation in your joints, you can do so by staying active with the help of a physical therapist.
- Indoor Walking – If walking is your go-to exercise routine and you want to stick with that, take your workout indoors for the winter. Find an area where you can walk indoors without being exposed to the elements. Shopping malls, fitness centers or local YCMAs all provide a big enough space for you to walk away from the snow and ice. Schedule regular walks with friends, family or coworkers to help hold yourself to your commitment to walk during the winter!
If you want help staying active during the winter, or you want help overcoming physical aches and pains, reach out to the team of physical therapists at OrthoRehab Specialists today.
PT of Costa Rican National Soccer Team for 2007 World Cup in Victoria, CAN. Clinical Instructor for University of Minnesota Doctor of Physical Therapy Affiliations
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