Heat things up with an at-home workout
By Kathy Kaehler
Too cold for your usual outdoor routine? Then heat things up with a workout right in your home! Here are some easy ways to break a sweat without ever leaving the house:
1. Take to the stairs. Climbing stairs is a great way to strengthen your heart and legs. Try these variations:
*Take two stairs at a time for one flight and then one step at a time for the next.
*Turn sideways and go up the stairs one step at a time using the leg that faces the top of the stairs. Switch directions on the next flight.
*Start on one side of the steps and as you step up, step all the way to the other side of the next step up, like a zig-zag. Continue this until you reach the top.
*For a more advanced variation, hop up one step at a time.
These are all fun activities and you can do them one after another or just take a few flights at a time throughout your day.
2. Jump rope. This is a terrific exercise that you can do indoors to really work your arms, legs and heart. Skip, hop on both feet, alternate hops right to left, or get fancy and pretend you are a boxer and create some clever footwork. Any way you jump it, your heart rate will soar.
3. Build strength. You don’t need any fancy equipment for these strength exercises. Just grab a sturdy kitchen chair and you can do triceps dips, step-ups, sit-down squats and leg lifts (to the side and back).
4. Do calisthenics during commercials. While in front of the TV you can do this group of exercises to burn calories and tone your muscles:
*Do 25 jumping jacks.
*March in place 25 times.
*Do 25 abdominal crunches.
*Lie on the floor and place your feet up on your coffee table and do 25 hip lifts.
