Gym closed New Years Day?...and you need workout ideas?

It's New Years Eve, and you're thinking "crap, my gym is closed tomorrow... ". Well, you can still workout (if you want). To help you with this, I'm writing down a couple things I like to do when the gym is not an option, or I'm just too lazy to get in the car and freeze for 10 minutes on the way there...and maybe a couple other ones too...

Option 1: Go cross country skiing, downhill skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, ice skating, etc with your family. You won't even know you got a workout in when you're done. If you live where it isn't freezing outside, go for a hike, walk, run, bike, anything else outside.

Option 2: If watching something on TV helps you pass the time during a workout, try doing 2 to 3 sets of the following list of moves (... but don't go into a TV coma and stop paying attention to your workout!) I sometimes do this one when I really want to watch something on TV... but want to get a workout too :). One set should take about 15 to 20 minutes... depending on if you rest between movements (suggested). Also, only do this if you have been working out and know that you won't have any medical issues completing it!!

• 15 jump squats (go into a squat, jump up and bring your hands up. When you land, let your legs give so you go back into a squat - kind of like a frog. This is something called a plyometrics move (explosive movement). If you need something less intense, keep it to just squats without the jumping).
• 60 seconds of jumping jacks
• 15 alternating jump lunges (similar to the squats, but done as a lunge. Go into a lunge position, jump up, switch your feet, and land in the opposite lunge. This is another plyometrics move, so if you need a less intense version, keep it to alternating lunges without the jump).
• 60 seconds of jumping rope (you can fake it if you don't have a rope)
• 60 seconds of high knees (kind of like running but pull your knees up to your chest)
• 15 side kicks per side (pull your knee up first, then kick out to the side)
• 60 seconds of mountain climbers (hands on floor, alternate pulling your legs up to your chest).
• 60 seconds of jumping jacks
• 60 seconds of running butt kicks (like running, but kick your butt)
• 15 burpees (start standing, put your hands on the ground, jump your legs back so your feet are on the floor and you're kind of in a plank position, jump your legs back to where your hands are, stand up... that's 1. If this is too much, try the mountain climbers again.)
• 15 push-ups (or as many as you can do. If you need to, you can do these on your knees)
• 60 seconds of jumping rope
• 60 seconds of bicycle crunches (on your back, hands supporting head, pull opposite elbow to knee, alternate)
• 60 seconds of jumping rope or jumping jacks
• 60 seconds of a plank (elbows on ground, feet behind on ground, body straight.

Option 3: Watch some Exercise TV on Demand workouts or Fit TV workouts. A lot of them are not very long, but you can do 2 or 3 of them if they aren't. My favorites for Exercise TV on Demand are Jillian Michael's Boost Metabolism (~1hr) and No More Trouble Zones (~1hr), and all of Jackie Warner's exercises (3x20 min, 1-45 min). Check out my forum for reviews on some of the Exercise TV on Demand workouts!

Option 4: Do an hour of Wii Fit or one of the other new fitness things for the Wii. I made a post about Wii workouts a while ago; you could check it out on the right hand side of the blog. I will do this in a pinch if at my parents house (because I'm not cool enough to have one). I try to alternate between the super hula hoop (is anyone else horrible at 1 direction with this??), advanced step, long run, and a bunch of the yoga and strength exercises. The balance games won't give you a great cardio or strength workout, but they will improve your balance (duh).

Have a great New Year and let me know how you stayed active over the holidays!