It’s easy to feel “blah” in February weather — especially in Knoxville, where the skies tend to go from sunny to dark grey in hours. Part of that persistent “blah” feeling might be from low activity. In the summer, we’re more likely to go for walks or wander around downtown. But in the winter? No, thanks.
But whether you’ve always been active, or you’re just trying to stick to your resolutions, nothing puts a damper on a jog or a hike like cold, rainy, or windy weather.
Despite the grey skies, there’s a couple different ways to feel active. Here are some ways you can keep up-and-at-em and feel better while the weather looks dreary.
Adjust your jogging time.
Mornings are a popular time for jogging, but no one wants to get sick while staying in shape. If your next cardio period looks drab, consider looking at what time you have available in the day and moving your cardio to the slightly-warmer afternoon.
Try sprinting.
If the weather shortens your usual exercise time, you might consider switching to sprints.
Sprints are a form of high-intensity cardio where you cycle through “on-periods,” where you run at full speed for a short period of time (about 30 seconds), and “off-periods,” where you walk or jog for a longer period of time (about 60 seconds).
Though it sounds intimidating, the intensity is made up by much shorter exercise length. You’d only need to do these cycles for ten to fifteen minutes to achieve the same calorie burn.
Take an indoor class.
UT Rec Sports, a multi-level exercise faculty that is free for students, offers multiple fitness programs for people of any interests or fitness levels. There’s cycling, yoga, killer core, Tabata and much more.
Look up calisthenic exercises
“Calisthenics” is just a fancy word for an exercise that only requires your body weight. These are your push-ups, sit-ups, planks, et cetera. Calisthenics are a great alternative to a gym work out if you find one that works for you.
If you don’t know how to get started, don’t worry! There are plenty of resources that you can use to create a body-weight workout. The app store alone has all you’d require to get started.
Do the extra things
When the weather prevents a lot of usual exercise — even small stuff like taking an extra walk — you might feel better if you add a couple more steps to your day. Small things like taking the stairs, standing rather than sitting, and taking a moment to stretch will help you feel better during inactive days.
