Written by: Tim Brouk, tbrouk@purdue.edu

As frightful weather may keep you indoors and curled up on the couch under several fuzzy blankets, Jason Chrapek, clinical assistant professor in the Purdue University Department of Health and Kinesiology and director of the A.H. Ismail Center for Preventive and Lifestyle Medicine, affirmed winter weather should not deter your physical fitness.

Strolls around the neighborhood during a blizzard and 15 degrees are not only unpleasant but potentially dangerous. Working out at home is warmer and could counterbalance holiday treat temptation.

“When we’re thinking about our overall workout program, we want a good combination of strength training, training our cardiovascular system and working on our flexibility,” Chrapek said. “Especially for those who have been working out all year, the winter is a great time to put some extra focus into one of those areas that you typically don’t focus on as much as the others. The quickest route to noticeable improvement is to attack your weaknesses.”

So, use your new exercise equipment you just got for the holidays, or dust off those old dumbbells to make 2025 physically fit. And don’t sweat it if you have no equipment because there are plenty of exercises that require nothing but a little bit of space.

Compound exercises

Chrapek mentioned strength exercises such as bench-presses (chest, shoulders and triceps) and rowing motions as key winter workouts that engage multiple sets of muscles at the same time.

“Row motions can come at a bunch of different angles, whether that’s a horizontal row or a lat pulldown. They can work all those muscles of the upper back and biceps,” he added.

Many lower body workouts require nothing but your body weight and Earth’s gravity. Chrapek recommends squats and lunges. But an investment in a kettlebell weight can open the routine to more exercises. Getting a hinging pattern in the hips is recommended. This occurs when bending forward while keeping your spine neutral and flexing at the hips.

“These really work the hamstrings and keep the knees, lower back and hips healthy,” he said.

Core time

Stabilization exercises, such as planks, are a good way to melt away some of Grandma Ginny’s Christmas brownies from the midsection while keeping the lower back healthy.

“If you’re still on Christmas vacation and sitting around watching movies all day, get up, get the core active and keep those muscles moving,” Chrapek said.

Keep the cardio up

Running outside is not a winter option for much of the U.S. Chrapek said runners could invest in indoor treadmills or switch it up and get an exercise bike. Another option is trying something new, such as a winter Zumba class at your local gym.

“Even if you have two left feet, you’re still going to have fun and get the heart rate up,” he assured. “Cardio doesn’t have to be traditional cardio like running or cycling. It can be anything that gets you moving to have a positive effect on the body.”

AI assistance

Like with most every field, artificial intelligence can enhance your workout. Programs like ChatGPT can also give you new ideas for coming up with a winter fitness plan.

Jack Henke, a certified personal trainer at the Ismail Center and a junior studying kinesiology, said the “personal aspect” of coming up with a fitness plan and meeting his clients’ goals is important, but he has used AI to come up with workout plan ideas when met with “roadblocks.” When one of his clients had difficulty walking, Henke checked in with AI to ensure his workout plan would not aggravate pain in the man’s legs.

“I needed help to make sure I wasn’t putting too much pressure on his inability,” he recalled. “AI really helped out to make sure he was comfortable.”

Chrapek agreed AI can be of assistance to folks wanting to keep their fitness levels high during low temperatures. There are numerous downloadable apps, such as Renaissance Periodization, that learn about your routine just weeks after you enter some basic data. The AI within can tell you when to add weight or reps throughout your fitness journey.

“There’s definitely no substitute for a one-on-one coach, but AI can do a lot of really good things for us,” Chrapek explained. “Coupled with wearable technology like Apple Watches, it can give us real-time performance feedback. You may be feeling really good in a workout, and you see that you’ve reached the appropriate amount of strain for that particular day, then you know when to shut it down for the day and not risk overtraining.

“It’s really cool what technology is able to do, and it’s not going anywhere, so we might as well take advantage of it to move better and be healthier.”