Making the Most of Exercising Indoors

​Summer is here, and everyone is itching to get outside and into the sun. After months of being cooped up inside, nothing feels better than breaking a sweat in the warm rays. However, that beautiful sun can make it too hot to be outside, even dangerous. You can put yourself at risk for heat-related issues, so it's essential to know when it's too hot to exercise outdoors, continue your workout inside, and stay committed to your health goals.

First off, heat and humidity are a dangerous combination. Your body must work much harder to regulate the temperature in a humid environment than it does in a dry one. Use a heat index to determine if exercising outside is the right choice that day. If you decide to brave the sun, watch out for headaches, dizziness, muscle cramps, nausea, or vomiting as these are all signs of heat-related illness. If you feel any of these symptoms, stop exercising, find some shade, and put a cold, moist rag on your head. It doesn't hurt to call a friend either. 
 
There are plenty of ways to get in a great work out while staying inside, and basic levels of exercise aren't as challenging as most people think! The Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least: 

• 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity
• 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise
• Some combination of the two per week 

Additionally, the recommendation is that you train major muscle groups twice per week. 

An easy way to plan for all this is to break it down to 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day. The more time you invest or by increasing the level of intensity, the more significant your benefits will be. REMEMBER, something is better than nothing, so do what you can with the time you have! Breaking your routine will lead to breaking a good habit. Ten minutes of effort can help maintain your motivation for the next day. 

Here's an example of an indoor, at-home workout you can do when the heat index is too high. For the sake of keeping it interesting, I am going to ignore the common ones everyone knows; push-ups, squats, and crunches. 

Lower Body Segment

• Split Squat Lateral Hop x 15 seconds 
  • Rest 15 seconds

• Ratchet Squats x 15 seconds 
  • Rest 15 seconds

• Prisoner Walk-Ups x 15 seconds 
  • Rest 15 seconds

• Sidewinders x 30 seconds 
  • Rest 30 seconds and move on to next series

Upper Body Segment

• Hover Hops x 15 seconds
  • Rest 15 seconds

• Step-Through Push-ups x 15 seconds
  • Rest 15 seconds

• Push-up Toe Taps x 15 seconds
  • Rest 15 seconds

• Hover Pulses x 30 seconds
  • Rest 30 seconds and move on to next series

Core Segment

• Twisting Pistons x15 seconds
  • Rest 15 seconds

• Lateral Mountain Climbers x 15 seconds
  • Rest 15 seconds

• V-sit Pulses x 30 seconds
  • Rest 15 seconds

• Black Widow Knee Slides x 15 seconds
  • Rest 15 seconds

This at-home workout is an example of one you can do indoors. There are many other indoor activities that you can do, such as; yoga, barre, going to the gym, and other online resources. Remember to a check with your doctor before beginning a workout program, but also remain consistent and have proper form when doing any exercise.

Stay safe, and let's continue to make our health a priority. ​​
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Written By:​
Dr. Chase Pease

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