Rainy days can challenge your creativity and motivation when it comes to exercising. But, here are some simple and effective exercises you can do at home even when the weather doesn’t cooperate:

Calorie-burning cardio workouts 

  • If you have a gym in your building or you have your own home gym then you can definitely make use of the treadmill, bike, rowing, or elliptical machine for at least 20 minutes. Use a fitness tracker to monitor your heart rate and calorie burn.
  • Do a circuit type of training to keep your heart rate up. Start with a 5-minute warm-up to gradually raise your heart rate by jogging in place, climbing up and down the stairs, or doing your favorite dance moves. Then, get your timer or stopwatch and perform 10 heart-pumping cardio moves for one minute each (total time = 10 minutes): knee-ups, jumping jacks, high knee jogs, sprints, a combination of punches, kicks, step-ups on a bench or stairs, mountain climbers, squat jumps and lateral shuffles. You can increase the duration by progressing to 90 seconds per move or by doing 2 sets of the complete 10-minute workout. Don’t forget to cool-down and stretch for another 5 minutes. 
  • If you need a longer and structured workout, play your exercise videos or search for dance workouts online and move while you enjoy your workout.
  • You can set-up a boxing spot at home by purchasing a jumping rope, punching bag, and boxing gloves, and do a heart-pumping routine anytime.

Try this calorie-burning routine on your next workout: 

Strength and core workouts

  • If you have a home gym, maximize the use of strength machines available. Do 10 to 20 reps, one to three sets of 8 basic exercises: Bench press, lat pulldown, leg press, cable row, shoulder press, biceps curl, triceps push-down, and abs machine.
  • Bodyweight exercises can always be done anywhere a mat, chair, bench, or even your own bed. Do 12 to 20 reps or 45 seconds to 1 minute for one to two sets of these effective core and strength exercises: Squat, lunge, push-up, plank, side plank, shoulder bridge, bird dog, basic crunch, bicycle or obliques, and dips.
  • Use small exercise equipment that will challenge your strength and core and raise your motivation to stick to your resistance training habit. Purchase exercise tubing, loop bands, dumbbells, kettlebells, suspension training equipment, a medicine ball, and a stability ball. You can perform the basic bodyweight exercises mentioned above using these various equipment.
  • Do not forget to apply proper breathing (inhale to prepare and exhale on exertion) and to perform flexibility exercises during and before the strength session.

Here's a great no-equipment strength workout to start with:

BONUS TIP: Try integrating a micro workout into your routine so you can keep moving throughout the day while staying at home. Start with this micro workout routine.

So, it is time to re-arrange your house and set aside enough space where you can comfortably perform your exercises. You just need at least 15 to 20 minutes, four to six days a week to exercise on your own or with your friends or family. Enjoy!