A Snow Day is a great day to workout!

And we don’t just mean shoveling this time. If you find yourself stuck inside on a wintery snow day, it might be the perfect time to try out an indoor routine. So clear a little space, grab a chair, and let’s go!

Before this (and every) workout, you will want to warmup. Aim for 5-10 minutes. We suggest jogging in place, jumping jacks, body weight squats, planks or pushups. Or, you could also do one round of the workout below, but at a very low intensity.

Complete the circuit as many times as you can before your workout time is up (we suggest 20-30 minutes, but you should pick the right amount of time for you). Push yourself and rest when needed. The exercises given are always just recommendations, and can be modified as needed. You know your body. Form and technique comes first!

The Indoor Snow Day Workout

• Walk-Outs:

  • Start in a standing position, hinge at the hip to a front fold position and bend your knees as needed (but still stretch the hamstrings) until hands are flat on the floor in front of you.
  • While stabilizing your hip and engaging your core, begin to walk your hand up to a full plank position (a straight line from your head to your heels)
  • Do one full push-up.
  • Leading with your hips and engaging your abdominal muscles, walk your hands back towards your feet (bending your knees as needed to feel a stretch in your hamstrings).
  • Roll up to a standing position one vertebrae at a time, head coming up last
  • MODIFICATION: During the push-up drop your knees to a modified plank position. You should still feel your abs engaged and should look like a straight line from your head to your knees. Before you walk your hands back towards your feet, lift knees back off the ground to the full plank position.

• Squat Jump:

  • Begin standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  • Perform a squat (sit your hips back like you are sitting into a chair, keeping the chest lifted, knees remaining behind the toes, and weight driven through your heels), allow your arms to swing behind you to start creating momentum .
  • In one fluid motion from that position, jump has high as you can, taking off heal-toe, and allowing your arms to swing all the way through, reaching overhead. As you land softly (to protect the knees and joints), allow your toes to hit the ground before your heels.
  • MODIFICATION: instead of jumping, perform body weight squats to reduce impact on the joints. Aim to get your thigh parallel to the floor at the lowest point, and as you stand, squeeze your quads and your glutes.

• High Knees to Chair:

  • With (or without) a chair or stable object to use as a reference point, begin in a standing position and quickly and lightly tap your toes to the surface of the chair – without putting your body weight on it or moving the object. Staying light on the feet as they hit the floor is key!
  • Use your lower abdominal muscles while pumping your arms to lift your knees to the ceiling, aiming for your thighs to become parallel to the floor.
  • This exercise will have more of a cardiovascular impact on your body, so pace yourself and take necessary recovery afterwards.
  • MODIFICATION: Without jumping, lift one knee at a time in front of your body, focusing on engaging the abs, OR find an object lower to the floor as a reference point for height.

• Plank Hip-Drops

  • From a low plank position (on forearms), create a straight line from your head to your heals.
  • Drop hips side-to-side to tap the floor like a rainbow.
  • MODIFICATION: When in doubt, just hold a plank position (or modified plank position, dropping to knees).

• Split Squat with Chair:

  • Facing away from your chair, prop one foot on the seat (or any stable object about knee-height).
  • While keeping your hips square to the wall in front of you, bend the front knee while sitting your hips back and keeping the chest lifted.
  • Drive your weight through the front heel and extend the knee and hip back to a single-leg standing position.
  • Repeat on BOTH LEGS!
  • MODIFICATION: Without a chair, take a long, lunging stride, keeping your hips forward and shoulders back. Your back heel should be lifted off of the floor. Perform a stationary lunge without picking either foot up off the floor. The goal is to get both knees to a ninety degree angle with your back knee hovering an inch or two from the floor.

Repeat this circuit until the end of your workout time! Remember to keep hydrated and to modify any exercise to your specific needs. For more ideas on how to stay fit inside on a snow day, check out our other workouts:

• 5 Simple Yoga Ball Exercises
• 20 Minute Core Body Workout
• 20 Minute Full-Body Workout
• Easy Dorm Room Workout

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