The Family Snow Day Workout

Love it or hate it, winter is officially just one week away. For many of us that means temperatures are plummeting, the days are getting shorter and snow is well on its way. At Bowflex we love to find ways to work activity into our daily lives, especially when it's fun and involves the whole family. So, instead of dreading that inevitable snow day, here are three simple ways to take your workout outside, make it a family affair and make the white stuff work for you:

Snowball Fight

There's nothing more fun than a good old-fashioned snowball fight and no better way to get in a heart-pumping workout with the whole family when school is out. It takes the term "High Intensity Interval Training" to a whole new level. It involves lots of heart-pumping running, sudden starts and stops and throwing movements that will raise your heart rate as well as your spirits.

Shoveling

Want a true "functional" full-body strength training winter workout? Try shoveling snow, especially the wet, heavy stuff. Shoveling works the lower body, core and upper body as you bend, lift and throw. It is actually similar to Olympic strength training moves in that you must pay strict attention to your form, lifting with your legs and protecting your lower back. Shoveling snow also significantly challenges your cardiovascular system, burning major calories as you clear away the white stuff. So grab the family, a few shovels and get to work.

Sledding

Most professional athletes incorporate some form of hill training as part of their conditioning program, running up and down a steep incline over and over again. So, yes, you can absolutely count sledding as exercise, both strength and well as cardio. Want to make it even more challenging? Push one (or more) of your children up the hill on their sled every so often. This will work your entire body from head to toe – Your legs, core and upper body. It will also send your heart rate skyrocketing in just a few strides, making it another great form of High Intensity Interval Training.

So try this "Triple S" winter workout the next time the kids have the day off due to snow. You will laugh together, sweat together and make memories that will last a lifetime. The future of fitness is working exercise into your everyday activity, making it fun and involving the whole family whenever possible.