36 Workouts You Can Do in Your Living Room While It's Cold Out
It's cold enough to reasonably excuse yourself from running, but it's not too cold to workout inside. So move your coffee table out of the way, roll out your yoga mat and make your TV the focal point of your workout, because we've rounded up 36 exercises you can do in your living room. (See also: These At-Home Workouts Will Give You a Gym-Quality Workout for Free)
Most of these workouts are available online for free, but don't forget Christmas time usually offers deals on videos at local retailers. You'll need a yoga mat and a few hand weights for some of the workouts. And no matter which workout is right for you, make sure you follow the instructions carefully — the last thing you want to do is pull a muscle trying to gain muscle.
Strength Training
You won't need a lot of fancy weight lifting equipment to start buffing up at home.
POPSUGAR Fitness
POPSUGAR Fitness is a fantastic source for YouTube workouts. I will warn you though: Their channel is mixed with food recipes. Their beginner strength training workout is phenomenal if you don't have a lot of workout supplies — it only requires a yoga mat. It does require some coordination, but since you're in your living room and not in public, there is no need to feel embarrassed.
Nike+ Training App
If you're a woman with a smartphone, try out the free Nike+ Training Club app, which acts as a personal trainer, motivator, and calorie counter. This app is great for when you don't know how to do a certain bend or lift.
Jillian Michaels App
The free Jillian Michaels app helps you plan your workout in conjunction with a meal plan. It's like The Biggest Loser only you're the only one competing and no one is watching you.
Focus Areas
If you're trying to fix one certain part of your body, there are a plethora of body part specific workouts you can try out.
Abs
If you're looking for ab workouts, try Gaiam's Quick Fix Ab workout.
Lower Body
If you're focusing on your lower body, try Fitness Blender's Butt and Thigh workout or POPSUGAR's Tighten Your Love Handles workout.
Back
Strengthen your back with this workout, also from POPSUGAR.
Upper Body
For your upper body, check out Fitness Blender's Upper Body workout (no weights needed!). And Military.com offers a round-up of 20 minute workouts on their website. No matter what your focus area is, make sure you give it a break at least every other day. Too much on one certain area can cause you to strain your muscles.
Dancing
I avoid Zumba like the plague because I have no rhythm and I am not quick at picking up dance moves. However, I will happily dance when no one is watching.
Dance Workout for Dummies
This Dance Workout for Dummies video on YouTube is helpful simply because she is instructional as she dances.
Dance and Be Fit
Hulu's Dance and Be Fit channel offers a plethora of choices.
Beyonce Dance Workout
If you feel like you could be the next Beyonce, check out POPSUGAR's Beyonce Dance Workout.
Most importantly, these videos require nothing but your body and an ability to laugh at yourself.
Military Workouts
If you need a little extra motivation only a drill instructor can give, you have several options.
Military.com Whole Body Workout
Military.com offers a workout for your whole body. This workout focuses on everything: arms, legs, chest, and shoulders. However, the instructor recommends splitting the workouts up to give your body rest time in between certain sections. The good news is they don't have a YouTube video attached to them, so if your "workout instructor" gets on your nerves, this is an alternative. The bad news is that you have to pace yourself and make yourself keep going.
Other Boot Camps
Health.com also offers a 30-minute Boot Camp Workout with no videos. And if you need someone yelling at you, try Exercise TV's Boot Camp Calorie Burn or XHIT Daily's Military Boot Camp Workout, which features a British instructor.
Yoga
Yoga is the best living room workout, and if you learn from a video, you won't feel embarrassed when you don't know what happy baby is.
Try MyFreeYoga.com or Hulu's channels Yoga for Everyone, My Yoga Classes, or, the aptly named, Yoga. POPSUGAR rounds up a few more websites that cost around $9 a month — certainly cheaper than $15-$20 a class!
Refer to these Yoga Journal videos to make sure your poses are done correctly.
Pilates
Hulu has a great Pilates channel available on their website. And try out Fitness Blender's Quick and Easy Pilates Toning and Flexibility Workout (which lasts less than 20 minutes and tells you how many calories you're burning as you go), or Fitness Blender's Leg Slimming Pilates Routine. eFit30 also offers a 30-Minute Pilates workout, which is led by a delightful Aussie named Renee.
Total Body Workouts
If you're in a rush, this five minute workout from Women's Health is perfect for you. This workout has five steps, which you do 50 seconds apiece, taking a 10 second rest in between.
Gaiam Fitness on Hulu also offers a total body workout for those with a little more time.
Men's Fitness offers eight different workouts you can do at home. Some do require dumbbells, but a lot are possible with just you.
Pinterest Workouts
If videos aren't your thing, try what I'm calling a "Pinterest" workout. You know, one of those workouts made in Paint that will make you feel bad about your recipe board. There is the 100 Workout, the "Everytime You See This" Workout, the Quick Morning Workout, the Quick Fix Workout, the 10 Minute Circuit, and numerous others.
What do you use to workout at home? Please share in comments!
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