The rainy season is here once again and for most of us, it’s cuddle weather and the perfect time to lounge around and be lazy. For active people on the other hand, it’s one day less to be active.
But just because it’s raining doesn’t mean you have to skip your routine. There are tons of exercises that you can do at home to maintain a consistent and healthy lifestyle.
Stationary cardio will be your best friend if you have free space at home.
DO SOME CARDIO
From jumping jacks, high knees, burpees and squat jumps, these exercises should be enough to increase your heart rate, work your core, strengthen important muscles and of course, to burn fat. These also help in improving your momentum, coordination and flexibility.
To keep it up a notch, mix these basic cardio exercises with stationary jogging and shadow boxing for better blood circulation and upper body strength. High-Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT, is a set of short, intense exercises with short rest periods that provides excellent cardio drills while staying at home.
INDOOR CYCLING
Indoor cycling is an alternative to going to the gym, but it does require specific equipment. Here are several workouts that you can do to swap that stationary bike:
A single-leg bridge, or a set of lunges should train your leg muscles and improve your flexibility. Cardio-intensive jump rope exercises will also strengthen your calf muscles, increase your endurance, spatial awareness and memory.
Deadlifts while using dumbbells or water bottles will also increase your muscle strength and power.
USE THE STAIRS
If you have stairs at home, then a quick 10–15-minute warm-up and three-minute climbing exercise will do the trick. This will ensure that your legs stay strong and toned and maintain that flexibility of your leg arteries for better blood circulation.
You could also do other 15-to-30-minute exercises to step up your daily exercise routine using the stairs, such as pushups, crawls, and lunges.
DANCE IT AWAY
A music player and a pair of speakers should be enough for a good cardio exercise at home.
Dancing makes your heart and lungs work and increases muscular strength and endurance at the same time.
You can spice your dancing session to burn more calories by exploring other genres to add variety to your dance workout. From the hyped-up hip-hop and salsa to a slower, more graceful dance like tango and waltz, your playlist can be your best friend if you want to stay fit during rainy days. Zumba and Jazzercise are also fun and engaging.
MEDITATE
The sound of the raindrops outside should provide a calming backdrop for your next yoga session. Doing yoga at home will enhance your flexibility, balance and overall body strength.
Yoga should also help you reduce stress and improve your mental clarity.
For beginners, it is best to download instructional videos online and practice easy poses while at the comfort of your home.
These workouts should help you stay on track with your fitness journey. Never mind the rain; as long as you’re committed to stay in shape, your house and a bit of motivation are all that’s needed to sweat and be active.
