One of the best and worst things about the UK is the weather. As a nation we love to complain about it to strangers at the bus stop, talk about it with our colleagues, and sometimes even argue about it at family gatherings. When it’s warm it’s always too warm, and when it’s not too warm it’s either too cold or absolutely throwing it down with rain, or both. There is one particular group of people who are intimately familiar with the quirks of the UK’s weather, and this group of people are runners. Cyclists too, if you want to be inclusive.
We don’t mean the kind of runners who only run as far as from their car to the treadmill at the gym, we mean those hardy athletes who always seem to be out in rain or shine, hitting the trails and pounding the pavements in cities and rural areas all over the country. Some of the most dedicated runners will practice their sport all year round, no matter the weather. Others are willing to brave a little rain or cold, but have the common sense to shelve their running shoes during the worst of the weather.
If you are a committed runner (or cyclist) then the chances are you actively look forward to running and sometimes find yourself disappointed when the weather turns and a planned run is postponed for another day. Luckily, there are plenty of things you can do at home to scratch the exercise itch, and most of them are super simple and easy to do with little equipment. Read on for at-home exercise ideas for when the weather is putting a stop to your outdoor sessions.
Strength and flexibility
Running is great cardio and builds strong muscle groups, but it is not known for encouraging flexibility. In fact, running can be hard on muscles and joints, making it important to stretch before and after a run. On days where running is out of the question for whatever reason, you should try doing some yoga or pilates at home. Yoga and pilates clothes in the UK are easy to come by, but even a t-shirt and shorts or joggers will do.
The movements of yoga and pilates are designed to work your muscles gently in ways you may not end up doing on a regular day. This means you are opening up your muscles and strengthening your connective tissues to become more flexible. Additionally, many of the routines involve weight bearing exercises using your own body weight, which might not be as intense as a deadlift session, because you are holding the movements they are highly effective at building strength and muscle tone.
Cardio
Some people can’t get enough of cardio and hate the thought of not going for a run. If you need to stay home because of the weather (or any other reason, for that matter) and are bursting to do some cardio then you could always give skipping a try. It’s a top exercise among elite athletes because it is surprisingly gentle on your joints when you do it right, it really gets your heart pumping, and all you need is a skipping rope and a bit of space. Despite the benefits of skipping as an exercise, many runners will miss the sensory aspect of going for a run when compared to skipping.
For many runners, their exercise sessions are as much about seeing new trails, spending time outdoors, and getting into a different headspace as it is about the running itself. While you can’t really replicate that experience with skipping, you could try skipping while you watch TV, listen to a podcast, or blast your favourite exercise beats.
Alternatively, you could always lean on an old home gym favourite, the exercise bike. These days you can get basic, compact models for relatively cheap and they really don’t take up a lot of space or require much faffing about. Just make sure you have enough room in the space you want to use your bike in because even the compact models do have a reasonable footprint. You can get a really good workout using an exercise bike, and it might end up being a surprisingly welcome break from running.