When the sun is beating down and you break out in a sweat just walking out your front door, the last thing you probably want to do is exercise. But don’t let the sweltering summer heat derail your fitness plans. Even without a gym membership, it’s possible to get in a fat-burning, muscle-building workout indoors.
Here are a few examples of indoor workouts you can do in your living room on those long, 90-plus degree summer days.
Workout Videos
You don’t have to spend a ton of money to get a good workout at home. The Internet contains a wealth of exercise videos you can access for free or at low-cost. No matter what you’re looking for — strength training, cardio, yoga, Pilates, HIIT, etc. — you’ll find a video instructing you in nearly every type of exercise online. Some of the best sources for free workout videos include:
HASfit on YouTube, SparkPeople.tv, Adam Rosante on YouTube
Amanda Russell on YouTube
BeFiT on YouTube
Bodybuilding.com on YouTube
Jessica Valant Pilates on YouTube
Kayla Itsines on YouTube
If Internet access is a concern, check out your local public library’s collection of workout videos.
Body-Weight Circuit
No equipment is required for a body-weight workout, in which you put your own weight to work helping you tone your whole body. Just be sure to start with a five-minute warm-up to get your blood pumping and reduce your risk of injury. Here’s a sample body weight circuit you can follow:
Twenty walking lunges, Mountain climbers x 20, 1:00 minute of jumping jacks. 00:30 second side planks (30 seconds on each side for a total of one minute), One minute of jumping rope, Ten Burpees, squat jumps, 20 push-ups and finish with a minute of rest!
Repeat this circuit twice for a great, equipment-free workout.
Tabata Training
A Tabata workout is a brief workout that can be done with or without equipment (body weight exercises are perfect for Tabata training). Set your timer for eight rounds of 10- and 20-second intervals, or four minutes of intense training. Select an exercise (push-ups, burpees, lunges, mountain climbers, planks, etc.) and go all out for 20 seconds of work, followed by 10 seconds of rest. Complete eight rounds for a total of four minutes. You can do four-minute bursts throughout the day, or combine four minutes of three to five different exercises to make one longer workout session.
Turn Housecleaning into a Workout
They’re dirty jobs that have got to be done, so why not turn your daily chores into a workout? Take multiple trips up and down the stairs while toting your laundry, do squats while unloading the dishwasher, perform walking lunges while vacuuming and play upbeat music so you’ll be encouraged to pick up the speed and get your heart pumping while dusting, scrubbing and mopping. Any extra movement during the day adds up and can help you stay fit.
If you do decide to workout outdoors this summer, be sure to take adequate precautions to stay safe and prevent dehydration, heat exhaustion or heatstroke. Avoid exercising outdoors during the hottest time of the day (usually from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.). Wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing and apply a sufficient amount of sunscreen. Stay hydrated and replenish electrolytes with a sports drink if you exercise for more than 60 minutes. Most importantly, listen to your body. If you begin feeling dizzy, faint or nauseous, stop exercising immediately, move indoors and drink water. If symptoms do not quickly improve, seek medical attention.
