10 Indoor Workouts for a Rainy Day

Hate to sound cliché but, April showers bring May flowers. Last night’s storm was the first of many showers to arrive as we swing into Spring and you don’t want to ruin your daily exercise routine. In case your outdoor activities are canceled, there are ways to still get that cardio in at home. Rain can make us feel cozy and lazy. Working out indoor can take the fun away from engaging with the outside world and you may lack motivation based on the gloomy weather, but these exercises are sure to get you pumped to get that 30-minutes or more workout in.

Stairs
Do you have a staircase at home? If you do, then you know the struggle of walking up them sometimes. Here’s a great place for some awesome cardio. Try leg steps or running to get that heart rate moving.

Calf raises
Standing on a flat surface, or on the last stair step, raise up on your tippy toes to feel the burn in those calves. 20 and more will definitely make you feel it.

Dance
Turn on your favorite dancing playlist and move your body to the rhythm for 30 minutes. I think we sometimes forget how much of a workout dancing can be. This is like your free Zumba class to dance with no one looking.

Leg lifts
Laying on your back and raising your legs all the way up together tones your quads and abs. Try a couple set of 10 to 15 lifts.

Yoga
Relax and unwind, stretch out those muscles and test your flexibility with yoga. Do what you know or you can even follow along with a video on an internet device and you are set (got to love technology).

Lunges
Some people hate lunges, but they are an excellent full leg exercise. Lunge in sets of 10 for each leg to strengthen your glutes, hamstrings and quads. With feet together, lunge forward with one leg then step back. You can either go forward or backward.

Squats
The reason we all attend leg day, ladies and gentlemen: squats. Tone your legs and butt to achieve stronger and better looking legs. Start in a stand-up position with feet shoulder-width apart. Squat down until you are just over your knees, then stand again.

Crunch
Crunches work the upper abdominal region and it’s much like a sit-up except you only come up about half way to when your body is at a “crunched” position then you lie back down.

Jog in place
Jogging in place is almost an equivalent to running on a treadmill or outdoor. It strengthens the heart and is a great way to burn calories.

Jumping jacks
Jacks are another heart pumping exercise that strengthen the heart and burn calories. Start with your arms at your side and feet together, then jump in the air and spread your arms and legs. End with your arms back at your side with a jump to close it.

Keep in mind, not only do we exercise to look good, but we want to better our overall health as well. These are certainly not the only indoor activities you can do, so venture out and find more if you need to. Complete these exercises with your health in mind and remember to stay hydrated. Break a sweat on any day of the week, no matter rain or shine.