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If only our fitness needs would hibernate for the winter. Alas, it’s up to us to be active on a regular basis to stay strong and fit—even when the weather isn’t on our side. Sure, we could join a gym or take fitness classes at our local church or YMCA. But that means leaving the comfy confines of our homes and braving the weather. Here, we’ve created an efficient, heart-pumping workout that doesn’t require you to do either.
For more, check out ourAt Home Workouts for Any Fitness Level.
What You’ll Do
In this workout, you’ll alternate between periods of effort and periods of rest. This on-off pattern of exercise, called interval training, allows you to work harder in a shorter amount of time than you would during continuous activity (like a longer walk or bike ride). Adding interval workouts like this one to your routine can lead to faster gains in fitness and insulin sensitivity than traditional workouts alone.
The workout has two parts:the warmupandthe circuit.The warmup will get blood flowing to your muscles. The circuit alternates between fitness boosting and strength-building intervals for a total-body workout. You can do the circuit just once, or repeat it a few times for a longer workout.
What You’ll Need
Comfortable sneakers, a timer or stopwatch, and at least 15 minutes.
The Warmup (3 minutes)
Wake up your muscles with these gentle moves. For each, begin slowly. Gradually increase your speed as is comfortable. Repeat each move for 30 seconds.
The Circuit (12 minutes)
Do the exercises in each interval for 2 minutes, then rest for 1 minute. Then, move on to the next interval. For a challenge, repeat the circuit two or three times, taking 2 minutes of rest after each complete circuit.
Interval 1 (Hips & Thighs)
Stair Stepping
Interval 2 (Abs & Back)
Standing Twists
Stand tall with your knees soft and your feet hip-width apart. Place your hands on opposite shoulders or elbows (A). Pull your belly button toward your spine and tuck your ribs in. Keep your shoulders back and down as you gently twist at the waist and bend forward to pull your right shoulder down toward your left hip (B). Pause, then lift back up to standing. Continue, alternating sides. Slow down and focus on the movement to fully engage your muscles.
Abdominal crunches
Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and arms extended toward the ceiling (A). Relax your shoulders and gaze toward the ceiling as you use your abs to lift your shoulder blades off the floor, arms and chest reaching straight up (B). Pause here, then slowly lower your shoulder blades and head back down to the floor (A). Pause briefly, then repeat. Exhale through your mouth as you lift up to help avoid straining your neck forward.
Interval 3 (Strength & Endurance)
Lateral Shuffle with Squat
Interval 4 (Chest & Shoulders)
Modified Walkouts
Start on all fours with your hands underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips (A). Relax your shoulders away from your ears and pull your belly button toward your spine. Lift your right hand and place it about 6 inches in front of its starting position (B). Repeat with your left hand (C). Hold for a couple of seconds, then walk your hands back to the start in the same order. Repeat, alternating which hand you start with.
Standing Row
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hinge at your hips to lean forward slightly, sending your buttocks behind you. Bend your knees and gaze forward. Extend your arms toward
the floor, palms facing each other (A). Bend your elbows as you pull your arms up and back (B). Hug your elbows in as you lift, then pause and squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top. Slowly lower your arms back to the start. Repeat. Engage your arms and back as if you’re holding a heavy bag of groceries.
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