The Top 9 At Home Winter Workouts From Fitness Bloggers

In my last couple of posts I’ve been focussing on winter workouts that you can do over the coming months. Today I’m continuing the focus on this topic but instead of providing my own workouts, I’m going to be giving you The Top 9 At Home Winter Workouts From Fitness Bloggers…

1) Kettlebell Workout From Srdjan Popovic Of BloomToFit.com

One of my favourite tools for building a better body is the kettlebell. This is an extremely powerful and unique fitness tool that can be used anywhere, especially at home.

Effective kettlebell training can help you build a strong posterior chain, a rigid core, a vice grip, an improved posture, healthier joints, a more efficient cardiovascular system, and an overall leaner physique. And, best of all, it can help you do all this in less than 20 minutes of work!

Kettlebell workouts combine a powerful 1-2 punch of efficiency and effectiveness.

These workouts are short, yet explosive and they provide maximum benefit in minimum time – things that are important for busy people.

The beautiful thing about kettlebell workouts is that they’re always changing. Once you understand the fundamental kettlebell movements, you’re never limited to what you can do. You’re never stuck for ideas. The options are endless.

The thing that makes kettlebells so unique is their dynamic nature. Training with kettlebells isn’t merely about moving a weight from point A to point B. The idea behind this type of training is using your powerhouse – your glutes, hamstrings, core, and primarily hips – to generate the force necessary to propel the kettlebell into motion.

This simple at-home kettlebell workout consists of only one exercise and is designed to engage your posterior chain and really get your heart rate going.

The kettlebell exercise is called the kettlebell swing – one of the most powerful kettlebell exercises on the planet – and the workout follows a tabata protocol.

It follows this pattern:

30 seconds of kettlebell swings
30 seconds of rest

Alternate continuously between the two.

Here’s a video of how this workout would look:

The idea behind this workout is to alternate between a period of high intensity training and a period of rest. You can manipulate the ratio of the time periods, but I typically like to use a 1:1 work-to-rest ratio.

Each tabata session lasts 5 minutes. Take a 2-3 minute break between sessions.

About The Author:
Srdjan Popovic runs the fitness blog – BloomToFit.com. For more exercises just like this one, be sure to pick up a copy of his free Ultimate Kettlebell Training Guide.

2) Planks By Alexandra Williams, MA and Kymberly Williams-Evans, MA Of FunAndFit.org

Planks are a great way to strengthen the entire core (abs and lower back), plus you don’t need any equipment at all, except gravity! You can use a mat or towel if you have one, though!

In this very short video (under 2 minutes) you will learn 4 different versions of a basic plank:
– knees down
– one knee down, one straight leg
– both legs straight, feet wide
– both legs straight, feet hip distance

A few important form tips to keep in mind for the plank:

elbows directly below the shoulders
hands unclasped, and no fists
hips are level with the head or slightly higher
for an easier base of support, place feet wide
if your back feels strain, lift the hips slightly

About The Authors:
This short, yet effective, plank workout comes to you from fitness experts and identical twins Alexandra and Kymberly.

3) Full Body Snow Sports Workout From Troy Pesola Of CubeDwellerFitness.com

Winter means snowboarding season. To be ready to enjoy more hours on the slopes when you break out of the office, or classroom, give this workout all you’ve got. Training for snow sports must address three different forms of training: strength, explosive power, and cardiovascular endurance. This winter workout is one of the workouts in CARVED – Cut To Shred the only workout program designed to get you in condition to spend all day on the slopes.

This workout is aimed at building strength to carry your through a serious day of shredding on the slopes. Snowboarding demands deep strength in your legs, hips, torso, and upper body. This workout is a full-body workout that will build the strength you need to hit the slopes. All you need is your bodyweight and a kettlebell. You can use a dumbbell instead if you don’t have access to a kettlebell.

Get Ready To Shred Workout Video

Full Body Snowboard Workout Exercises

The workout is structured into a circuit of three super-sets. Six exercises that will workout your entire body. By performing these exercises as a full circuit you will also be building cardiovascular endurance that you’ll need on the those long runs.

Rest only as needed through the circuit. When you finish the circuit, set your timer for 3 minutes to recover. After that rest period hit it again; go through the full circuit. Do the full circuit two or three times.

Kettlebell Squats (10 reps) – hold the kettlebell in front of your body, like a goblet, then push your hips back and lower down into a full-deep squat.
T- Pushups (5 ea side) – This is variation of the standard push-up that includes an arm-extended side plank at the top. To perform the movement, lift one hand off the ground when you reach the top position of the pushup, continue raising your hand reaching upward, rotate your entire body while keeping your legs and torso straight. When you are rotated and fully extended your body should resemble the letter T tipped on its side. Rotate back down and place your hand back on the ground. Alternate sides each repetition.
Kettlebell Lunges (10 ea side) – hold the kettlebell in front of your body again, then lunge by stepping forward with one leg and lower your hips down until your rear knee nearly touches the ground. Drive up through your heal of your front foot to thrust back up into a standing position.
Alt KB Pushups (5 ea side) – set the kettlebell on the ground on its side. Now do pushups with one hand on the kettlebell and the other on the ground. When you reach the top of the push up position alternate hand positions.
Jump Squats (18 reps) – perform a bodyweight squat except with each movement, explode off the ground into a jump. When you land go immediately into the next squat movement.
Rocking Planks (10 slow reps) – perform a plank by going into the pushup position, but rest your upper body on your forearms instead of your palms. Then to perform the rocking plank shift your weight forward up above your head by extending your toes. Then rock back by pushing back down. Do this movement slowly for through out the range of motion.

About The Author:
Troy Pesola works as a business process expert with experience in several industries, while also being a fitness fanatic. He’s the founder of Cube Dweller Fitness a site dedicated to helping office workers, aka cube dwellers, get and stay in shape to enjoy all life has to offer.

4) Best Warm Up Exercises From CalorieSecrets.net

‘Warming up’ and ‘cooling down’ are not usually seen as part of a workout and frequently missed out. However, there is more to warming up than just simply moving around and it can be fairly important for the rest workout. So what makes a warm up routine a good routine?

First the exercises of the warm up need to correspond with the actual workout and therefore target the joints and muscles and physiological components which are going to be worked out by the main exercises. For example if the workout entails going for a long run then you need to warm up the legs and raise the pulse gradually.

Therefore, I will admit that there is not one best warm up workout. The bellow exercises include some good compact and all over body exercises.

A few tips
1. Warm up workouts is recommended that they start from low intensity and progress to higher intensity.
2. They meant to prepare the body for the main workout so they should reflect the needs of the main workout.
3. Unless your aim is specifically to increase flexibility for the workout do avoid too much stretching. It is common for warm up to involve notorious amounts of stretching. However, although studies do show that stretching increases flexibility pre-workout it may decrease other components such as strength and power which a muscle can generate. Some of the exercises bellow (i.e. side lunge) include a stretching element or can be performed to add a stretching element, but this is more part of the exercise rather than the classic static stretching.

Toe & Arm Raises

Low impact and intensity exercise which can be used at the start of a warm up. Toe and arm raises work the calf muscles such as the gastrocnemius, and the shoulder muscles. The exercise also mobilises the ankle and the shoulder joints and is good for increasing stability.

From standing with the legs hip width apart and arms relaxed at the side.
Push down through the toes and lift the heels of the floor. At the same time raising the arms above the head.
Keep the arms straight but relaxed.
Return to starting position.
Perform slowly and controlled.
Perform x 6-8.

Inverted Hamstring Drills

This a good exercise for balance. It can be quite difficult to perform if your balance is not very good.

Start at standing legs hip width apart.
Standing on one leg, bring the arms and the alternate knee to the chest.
Bend the torso parallel to the floor and at the same time extend the arms forward and the leg straight backwards forming a straight line with the arms, your torso and the leg parallel to the floor.
Bring the leg and arms towards the body as you bring the torso back up to standing. Extend the arms above the head.
Perform x 6 and then repeat with opposite leg.

Side Lunges With Floor Touching

Squats and lunges are good compact exercises for the hips, buttocks’ and thigh muscles. The exercise in brief involves alternating leg lunges with keeping the hands on the floor.

Bend (flex) your upper body towards the floor, bring the chin to chest and then slowly mobilise your spine by a ‘roll down’ motion until your hands touch the floor. Keep your legs soft but straight (I always like to do a couple of roll downs as it can mobilise the spine a bit).
Trace your hands towards one leg and at the same time bend that leg to a side lunge.
Without taking the hands of the floor trace your hands to the other side. At the same time transfer your weight to the other leg and go to a lunge.
Start by performing the exercise slowly and controlled and increase the rate once you feel more confident.
Keep the back straight but relaxed and the weight towards your buttocks. Try to avoid leaning too much forward as it places more strain on the knees.
Perform 6-8 on each leg.

Quadruped Thoracic Rotation

This exercise is more sport/exercise specific. It is good for trunk and shoulder mobilisation and muscle warm up.

Go on fours with legs directly under the hips and hands directly under the shoulders.
Keep one hand directly below shoulder, and bring the other bend with the fingers touching the ear. Some people place their hand behind the head however it may place pressure on the spine by pushing downwards so it is best to keep the arm by the ear.
Rotate the torso at the spine by opening upwards as far as possible.
Bring back towards the starting position and keep rotating towards the floor and taking the elbow to the knee.
Perform x6-8 and repeat on the other side

Jumping Jacks

The old school favourite; if you remember the PE (physical education) in school you are likely to have done a few jumping jacks. Works most of the body, gets the heart rate going and is good for explosive power without being too heavy on the knees.

Start from standing with arms relaxed at each side.
Take a small jump upwards and raise your arms above the head and spread your legs (spread your legs to a point which is comfortable; the aim is not to spread them as much as humanly possible).
Take a 2nd jump and bring your arms and legs at starting position.
Make sure you land softly on the toes and then heals and with soft knees; Not with a lot of force and with flat feet.
Repeat x 6-8

March On The Spot With Arm Circles

Marching on the spot does not have to be vigorous; it is to keep the legs moving while the exercise concentrates more on the arms.

Start at standing, extend your arms straight sideways.
Starting marching on the spot and at the same time perform small circles with the arm forwards and then backwards.
Perform for the count of 40 each side

About The Author:
Calorie Secrets is a health and fitness website that aims to provide reliable, easy to understand and well-researched advice on topics related to weight loss, diet, fitness and healthy living. You can visit their fitness section for more great workouts.

5) Fat Burning Total Body Home Workout Shari Fitness Of FitTalkNews.com

Burn fat at home with this lower body workout you can do at home. The only piece of equipment required is you. This workout can be done in straight sets as listed below are as a circuit. To perform this workout as a circuit, do 4 circuits resting no more than 30 seconds between each exercise, and 1 minute between circuits.

Squat Jumps – 4 sets, 20 reps, rest 30 seconds between sets
Alternating Forward Lunges – 4 sets, 20 reps, rest 30 seconds between sets
Bodyweight Squats – 4 sets, 25 reps, rest 30 seconds between sets
Pushups – 4 sets, 15 reps or until failure, rest 30 seconds between sets
Mountain Climbers – 4 sets, 30 seconds – 1 minute, rest 1 minute between sets
Air Bike Crunches – 4 sets, 1 minute, rest 30 seconds between sets

About The Author:
Shari Fitness is an ISSA Certified Fitness Professional, Certified Specialist in Fitness Nutrition, Natural Health Advocate, Winner of the 2009 Chozen Award for Health Practitioner of the Year, blogger about Natural Health and Fitness and author of Transformation Over 40. You can find out more about her by visiting; http://FitTalkNews.com

6) Two Triset Fat Burning Workout From Darren Letourneau Of TransformationCheatSheet.com

There’s probably a million excuses you can come up with for not going to the gym. Winter is one of them. I hate having to go out in the snow and scrape off the car just to go and do a workout. It’s tiring enough just getting there sometimes. Here is a great workout that you can do at home without equipment. Yes you no longer have an excuse. These are bodyweight only exercises. Here is a great fat burning workout of two trisets. If you are still a beginner then you can take a break in-between exercises.

Triset A

Jumping Jacks (25): Just like gym class in elementary school. Place your feet together with your arms at your side. Jump up. When you land your feet should be more then shoulder width apart and your hands will come together over your head. Jump back to the starting position.
Forward/Reverse Lunge Combination (20 total, [10 per side]): Stand up straight with your shoulders back and chin up. While looking in front of you, step forward and lower yourself until both knees are bent at around a 90 degree angle (one knee will almost touch the floor). Keeping your weight in your heals, push back up to the starting position. Step back with your other foot about the same distance as before. Bend your knees to about 90 degrees bringing your back knee almost to the floor. Push back up into the starting position. Remember to keep your body straight and abs braced. Once you do 10 of these then alternate.

Rest for 1 minute then move on to Triset B.

Triset B

Close Grip Push-ups (15): Get on the floor. Place your hands shoulder width apart. Keep your body straight and place your feet shoulder width apart as well. Lower yourself down slowly until you are a couple inches from the floor. Push with your arms back to the return position. Remember to keep your body straight and abs braced.
Mountain Climbers (30 [15 per side]): Start in the pushup position. Keeping your abs braced, pick one foot up off of the floor and bring it up to your chest slowly. Return your foot back to where it started and then do the same with the other foot. Remember to keep your body straight and abs braced.
Planks (60 Seconds): Lie flat on the floor. Keeping your body in a straight line resting all your weight on your elbows and toes so your body is basically hovering over the floor. Keep your body straight, tight and your abs braced. If this gets too difficult before the time is up then you can bring your knees down so it isn’t as difficult. That’s also a great option for beginners.

Rest for 1 minute. Continue these two trisets for your desired amount of workout time.

About The Author:
Darren Letourneau runs the health and fitness blog – TransformationCheatSheet.com. You can pick up Darren’s Free “15 Critical Fat Loss Mistakes Report” at; http://transformationcheatsheet.com/transformation-cheat-sheet

7) At Home Bodyweight Workout From Chad Howse Of ChadHowseFitness.com

To improve in anything, whether it’s building muscle, burning fat, or getting into great shape, we need to overload and improve. The problem with at home workouts, or bodyweight workouts, is that we often find it difficult adding resistance.

With this home bodyweight workout we’ll use single-limb training to account for the added resistance we won’t be getting from weights.

The Sets:
We’re using giant sets. That is, sets done back-to-back-to-back with rest only coming after all 3 exercises are complete.

A1. Single-leg squat (both legs)
A2. Bulgarian split squat (back foot on chair, both legs)
A3. High knees sprint – 20 seconds full speed
3 sets of 10 reps
Rest: 45 seconds

B1. Clap push-ups (or normal if claps aren’t an option)
B2. Mountain Climbers (20 seconds full speed)
B3. Walk outs
3 sets of 15 reps
Rest: 30 seconds

Note: if you have a chin-up bar at home, change the push-ups to chin-ups.

Perform each exercise using a full range of motion.

Bonus Bodyweight Stair Video Workout:

About The Author:
Chad Howse runs the fitness site – ChadHowseFitness.com. His site is dedicated to helping a million strong, become more confident, look better, feel better, and build a Legendary body, and Legendary life. If you enjoyed this workout, check out Chad’s article on Unconventional Weight Room Mistakes.

8) Challenging Complex Winter Warmer Wobbler From John Mulry Of ExpectSuccessFitness.com

Hey guys, John here from Expect Success Fitness and the ‘Lose A Stone Fast’ System and I’ve got a belter of a workout for you today. It’s going to leave you feeling pretty wobbly but trust me you’ll feel like an absolute champ too. When Tom asked me to be apart of this special fitness bloggers post I was delighted – I wanted to make sure to provide a workout that was challenging, enjoyable and kickass to boot…

So when racking my brain I decided I’d combine two of my favourite workout approaches; challenges and complexes.

A challenge workout (as I see it) is basically a workout with some pre defined rules and guidelines -with usually a timed element and a round format. For example a Pushup/pull-up challenge might be: You have 90 secs to perform 10 Pullups followed by 10 Pushups for 10 rounds – resting the remainder of whatever time is left after completing every rep. For example if you complete the 10 pullups and 10 pushups in 60 secs you get 30 seconds rest before the next round (90-60=30 – maths is fun).

Complexes are probably one of the most kickass style workout you can do – they’ve pretty much been immortalised by the hilarious and superhero strength coach Dan John. He describes complexes best as: A series of lifts performed back to back where you finish the reps of one lift before moving onto the next. The (barbell, dumbbell, kettlebell etc.) only leaves your hands or touches the floor after all of the lifts are completed.

So essentially – complexes are a beautiful, beautiful thing. So the “Challenging Complex Winter Warmer Wobbler” is a combination of a challenge and complexes – very original name too eh? So here it is:

Equipment Needed: Dumbbells

Set Up:
Perform each exercise back to back without letting go of the dumbbells. Repeat each exercise for 8-12 reps. Set your timer for 20 mins – do as many rounds as you can in 20 mins resting no more than 90 seconds in between rounds. After your first attempt at this workout – record how many rounds you complete then next time aim to beat that bad-boy.

Exercises:

DB Straight Leg Dead-lift
DB Bent-Over Row
DB High Pull
DB Reverse Lunge Curl
DB Push Press
DB Front Squat

About The Author:
John Mulry a.k.a ‘The Cheat Meal Master’ is a Life Transformation Specialist, Writer, Speaker, owner of Expect Success Fitness and creator of ‘Clean Cheating Cookbook’ & the revolutionary ‘Lose A Stone Fast’ System. Originally from Galway, John has combined his two passions in life – helping others and fitness to start Expect Success Fitness. John focuses solely on helping busy professionals get the body they want, with less time in the gym while still enjoying their favourite foods.

9) Cardio & Calisthenic Dorm Room Workout From Greatist.com

Living spaces and schedules can get pretty cramped in college. But that doesn’t make squeezing a couple exercises between beds — or classes! — impossible. Just under three hours per week of moderate-intensity exercise (the challenge level of a brisk walk) can help reduce heart disease, some cancers, and improve mental health and cognitive function. So in addition to power-walking to those lectures, here are eight moves you can do right in your dorm room.

High Knees (3-5 sets of 30 second sprints)
Targets: Quads, glutes, calves, shins (anterior tibialis), hip flexors, ups that heart rate
How to: This could piss off your downstairs neighbour even more. But go ahead, we understand putting cardio before others’ quietude. Run in place, bringing the knees above hip level. Pro tip: Keep your hands in front of you at hip level, palms down, and try and slap ’em with your knees to get the most out of this one. Or, pump your arms like a sprinter, elbows at 90 degree angles, and pump those arms fast. (Your legs will ALWAYS go as fast as your arms go!) Land on the balls of your feet (not your heels) for 10-second bursts, working up to 30-second sprints.

Butt Kicks (3-5 sets of 20 second sprints)
Targets: Hamstrings, quads, glutes, calves, shins (tibialis), aaand heart rate
How to: Ready to kick things up a notch? Keep running in place, but this time kick your heels to your butt with each stride. Go as fast as you can for 3-5 rounds of 20-30 second bursts, 20 seconds of rest between each.

Jump Squats (3-5 sets of 20 reps)
Targets: Quads, glutes, calves, shins (anterior tibialis)
How to: Granted, if you’re on the top floor, you may piss someone off. But this is a wonderful way to get back at your downstairs neighbour for pumping the bass during finals week. To start: Stand with your feet hip-width, toes forward. Sit back into a squat then drive your whole body up through your heels, shifting your weight onto the balls of your feet as you lift off. Be sure to land on the balls of your feet and immediately bend the knees into a full squat. Aim for three sets of 10-15 reps.Pro tip: If you can do these in front of a mirror, make sure your knees aren’t wobbling side to side while you squat or land.

T Push-ups (3 sets of 7-10 reps)
Targets: Chest, triceps, shoulders, core, lats, adductors, abductors
How to: Cramming for an exam? Hit the floor between chapters to help you think. Place the hands slightly wider than the shoulders and lower yourself down, tucking your elbows to your sides. Keep your chin from jutting forward (your chest should graze the floor first — not your head, hips, or anything else). (Pro tip: draw your shoulder blades in and down the back to protect your rotator cuffs.) As you push up (keep that back straight!), shift your weight to your right side, lift your left arm off the floor, and rotate your torso to face the wall. Inhale here. On the exhale, carefully rotate the torso towards the floor, catching your weight with a slightly bent left arm. Lower down. Push up and, this time, balance on your left side, lift your right arm and rotate your torso towards the opposite wall. That’s one. Shoot for three sets of 7-10 reps.
Modification: Can’t support your full bodyweight? Stick to the standard push-up but do ‘em with your knees on the floor.

Mountain Climbers (3 sets of 30 second sprints)
Targets: Chest, shoulders, triceps, core, hip flexors, hamstrings, quads
How to: Remember high knees from exercise #1? This is the same, but face down in the push-up position. Start by hiking your left knee towards the chest. Then quickly get that leg back and pop your right knee up to the chest. Go as fast as you can for 3-5 sets of 30-second bursts. Pro tip: As tempting as it may be, don’t bounce your booty into the air — keep as close to a straight arm plank as possible. And if that isn’t hard enough, make sure you only ever have one foot on the ground at a time (so that “high” leg isn’t tapping down and bouncing).

Supermans (3 sets of 10-15 reps)
Targets: Low back, lats, shoulders
How to: No cape? No problem. Simply roll onto the belly, and reach your arms above your head, keeping the legs straight. Lift your right arm and left leg at the same time, squeeze your glutes and low back muscles, then lower each and lift your left arm and right leg. That’s one. Shoot for three sets of 10- 15 reps. Option: fight crime simultaneously.

About The Author:
Greatist is the trusted health & fitness source for the young, savvy, and social. If you enjoyed the above workout, Try This At-Home Bodyweight Workout from Greatist or visit their website to Get More Health and Fitness Tips from Greatist.

Summary

If you’re planning on exercising at home this winter, I hope these top 9 workouts from fitness bloggers give you plenty of variety over the coming months. Once you’ve tried out all the workouts, I’d love to hear how you found them so please leave a comment below this post. Also, please Like, +1, Pin or Tweet this post, so that as many people as possible can enjoy these at home winter workouts from fitness bloggers.