There are some winter days when you bundle up, pop in your headphones and enjoy a brisk walk.
And then there are the days where your skin starts to burn the minute you step foot outside, sending you right back to the couch.
The good news is that you can get your cardio workout in without leaving your cozy home — and you don’t need fancy equipment or a lot of space do it.
On those days when frigid temps make walking, running or biking outside impossible, get your heart rate up with one of these fun cardio-based workouts.
Indoor walking
You can still get a walk in when the temperatures drop below freezing. Personal trainer Stephanie Mansour devised a 31-day indoor walking plan perfect for cold winter months. Here is a sample workout from the plan:
- Walk for one minute around your house at a moderate pace.
- Then, march in place at a quicker pace for one minute. (Walking in place will actually allow you to speed things up!)
- Next, perform five squats, five modified pushups and five calf raises.
- Repeat the circuit, alternating between a one-minute moderate walk, a one-minute speedy marching in place, and the short strength circuit, for a total of 20 minutes.
Get the full 31-day indoor walking plan.
Dance cardio
Break a sweat while breaking it down to some upbeat tunes. There’s no doubt that dance cardio is a fun way to get your heat rate up. You won’t stop moving during this 10-minute class that incorporates some body-weight strength and boxing-inspired moves for a full-body workout.
Try this 10-minute dance cardio class.
Boxing
Boxing is a great way to help combat stress, work up a sweat and torch calories — and it’s a fun way to move your body, too. During this 30-minute class you’ll get your heart rate up with punches, sprawls and shuffles. It’s modifiable for every fitness level; simply choose your interval lengths based on your fitness level.
Try this 30-minute boxing workout.
Strength training
You don’t have to choose between toning your muscles and working your cardiovascular fitness. Get a strength and cardio workout at the same time with this simple routine. These five moves are low impact, meaning that they’re gentle on the joints, but low impact doesn’t mean low intensity! You’ll increase your heart and work up a sweat while also toning your entire body.
Try this low-impact cardio dumbbell workout.
Tabata
Want to get in shape, but are short on time and equipment? High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is the solution. Tabata is a type of HIIT where workouts are broken into specific intervals: 4 minute rounds with 20 seconds of work alternating with 10 seconds of rest. This 12-minute workout features bodyweight-exercises like high knees, jump squats, jump lunges and mountain climbers that will definitely get your heart rate up and leave you dripping sweat.