Hey, winter warriors!
It’s tough to go for a workout, especially times like these where the cold weather and dark days. The times have all of us craving a cosy blanket and a couch, not so much the gym.
But what will happen if you don’t leave our cosy couch in the beautiful freezing weather? As the frost winds blow, the snowy blanket covers the world.
Winter weight gain is the only thing that creeps on us quicker than you can say. And this guest is not so welcome in our lives at this point.
What to do now? Don’t freak out,
Because we at Meridian Fitness are problem solvers and have the perfect solution for this, too.
We will arm you with some cool tips to stay on track. So, let us take you all with us on the journey of a winter warrior workout fitness routine.
The “Brrr” Effect: Why Winters Pack on the Pounds
It all depends upon your metabolism. In winter, the human body works like a stokes the flames to keep you warm. As humans, you might think this process helps burn tons of calories. Not at all. It turns out this metabolic boost isn’t as powerful at burning calories as we’d like to think.
So, how to burn calories and maintain your physique in this snowy blanket world? We at Meridian Fitness will explain everything today! Be with us because today you are going to learn tons of new exercises with routine.
P.S: There are two categories of winter exercises (Outdoor & Indoor). Therefore, we are starting with both.
Outdoor Sports: Let’s Conquer Them All, Winter Warriors
Brisk Walking
It’s very simple, but it absolutely delivers big fitness gains. This workout is like walking, but a little bit faster. It lies between jogging and walking. So, it works with your lower body muscles and impacts your lower joints.
Is brisk walking beneficial in winter?
Yes, it is. It improves cardiovascular fitness and promotes healthy bone health. You can do it in nearly any weather, but you should dress really comfy and appropriately.
But here’s a fun fact. Why don’t you just take it to the next level and make it a group activity session?
A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in January 2015 analysed 42 studies on walking groups and discovered that group walking improves various health metrics. Those health metrics include balanced blood pressure, resting heart rate, decrease in body fat, and lower cholesterol levels.
Skiing
Skiing can be really fun, whether you’re going fast down a hill or gliding across the snow. It helps you become more flexible, stretch your pooch muscles and make you firm. Plus, it gives your legs a good workout.
Research found that skiing strengthens your legs and helps you stay healthy as you age. It also improves your posture and even makes you feel happier. The review published in 2018 in the journal Frontiers in Physiology analysed all of this research.
Tobogganing
This is the best exercise that you can do with your family and have fun. It’s like unleashing your inner child with this classic winter activity. As Duncan said:
“Everyone in the family can enjoy tobogganing.”
Apart from having fun you can reap up your cardiovascular and strength benefits. How? The answer is if you’re the one who is carrying out the sled up the hill. It increases your stamina along with good breathing exercises.
Snowshoeing
It’s just like walking, but with satisfaction. Walking on the snow with your comfy shoes creates crunchy sounds that mesmerise your thoughts and keep your mind fresh. Snowshoeing is a great group activity to enjoy the scenery and feel extremely fresh.
This exercise is great for the morning routine. Being in groups motivates you, and the routine goes on. It’s a great lower-body workout that targets your glutes, calves, hip abductors, quads, hamstrings, and core.
Snowboarding
This fun activity is another skill towards a healthy body. This physical activity is close to skiing. It requires one board. Compared to skiing, snowboarding makes it a little harder to balance yourself on a single snowboard, but not that hard to manage. It hugely depends upon your comfort level and overall balance and coordination with the board.
Is it really worth it?
Yes, of course it is. It’s an excellent workout for your core and lower body. When you’re snowboarding, your lower body and legs play the game, along with your hands, to make the perfect balance.
However, there’s a fun fact. You might fall down from the board while snowboarding, but getting back up is a lesson that will help you be carried into your personal life to improve your mindset and mental strength.
As time passes, your body will adjust itself to the snowboarding flow, and you will automatically achieve balance by doing it again and again. That’s the beauty of self-management, and it also helps in life at certain points.
Indoor Sports: Shedding Extra Bulk Safely
In winter, you can either go outside and do what your body needs to do, or you can do all those exercises from inside. Trust us, you can also exercise and be in the best shape of your life and stay healthy and fit. At Meridian Fitness, we understand you and your winter warrior workout routine. Therefore, we are here with the best of the best weekly workouts just for you.
Weekdays | Main workout | Secondary sport | Time |
Monday | Cardio Kickstart | General Pull-ups | 25-30 minutes |
Tuesday | Strength Training | TRX Push Ups | 12-15 repetitions |
Wednesday | Pilates & Yoga | Back Squats | 20 minutes |
Thursday | Short Burst of Intense Exercise | HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) | 20-25 minutes |
Friday | Flexibility and Balance | Aerobics | 10-15 minutes |
Saturday | Dumbbell Front Squat | Leg Press & Glute-Ham Raise | 15-20 minutes |
Sunday | Rest Day | Day-Off | ———— |
Monday: Cardio Kickstart
Start your day by setting a 30-minute timer on the treadmill. Include dynamic stretches to warm up your muscles. This improves your flexibility, too. After cardio, do pull-ups and stretch your body. It helps your body absorb oxygen easily.
Tuesday: Strength Training
Get up from the bed. It’s the second day of your winter warrior workout routine. Have two glasses of water. Start your strength training with squats, lunges, and push-ups. Schedule your workout into three sets of 12-15 reps.
After your strength training is completed, if you are still hungry for more, do TRX push-ups for 10-12 minutes. This will boost your body and make you ready for the day.
Wednesday: Pilates & Yoga
Congratulations you made it to the third day. Today, you have to do something different with pilates & yoga training. This will allow your muscles to relax and vanish the stiffness while keeping your body in motion.
Thursday: Short Burst of Intense Exercise
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is the most active winter warrior workout and will reshape your body from top to bottom. This workout requires 20 minutes, with 20 exercises per 45 seconds and 15 seconds of rest.
These short bursts of intense exercise will increase your stamina, burn body fat, increase muscles and strength, and warm your body for at least 30 minutes after completion.
Friday: Flexibility and Balance
It’s the fifth day of your winter warrior workout routine; congratulations. You have come this far. Today, you have to do your stretching exercises and relax your muscles after yesterday’s high-intensity interval training session.
After your stretches and muscle relaxation. If you are hungry for more happy-go-lucky exercise, then do 10-15 minutes of aerobics. This will cause you to lose your muscles more greatly.
Saturday: Dumbbell Front Squat
It’s time for a heavy-lifting workout session. Now, your body has taken rest and is ready for a firm winter warrior workout routine. Today, you need to do three reps of dumbbell front squats for 15-20 minutes. Complete it and then go for three repetitions of Leg Press and Glute-Ham raise for 10-12 minutes.
Sunday: Rest Day
No Workout. Today, you just have to relax without any exercise. Make your body ready for next week’s winter warrior workout routine.
Here’s your Helping Hand
If you don’t have a proper exercise machine at home or need someone to guide you through your winter warrior workout routine. Then, Meridian Fitness is here to help. We offer the best winter workout routine for you. You are welcome to visit us in Greenwich, London.
We are here to lend a helping hand; you need to know more. Email us or fill out our form to get started.