When I worked in home health, many people assumed my most challenging time of year was winter, when snow-strewn roads, frigid temperatures, and shivering patients combined to make it difficult.
However, it was the summers that were the worst, because patients with anemia often feel cold year-round—and frequently, when I would visit, they would have their air conditioners off. After our treatment sessions, they finally and happily felt warm—but I’d be about to melt.
During the winter, many of us feel cold at least some of the time. Some dislike the colder months because they’re constantly searching for warmth, even hugging themselves or rubbing their arms to warm up. A few easy exercises, however, can quickly increase your heart rate and body temperature.
6 Exercises to Warm You From the Inside Out
These simple exercises rely more on speed than heavy cardiovascular movements or strength training. I’ve made sure that all of them can be done in a standing position to prevent you from having to make snow angels to warm up. They should work well for most people, but I recommend consulting with your health care practitioner to ensure that the exercises are suitable for you first.
1. Arm Circles
Arm circles are a fast and easy exercise that can bring a rush of heat to your shoulders and arms—just what you need on a cold day.
Step 1: Lift your arms straight out to your sides and begin making circles approximately 1 to 2 feet in diameter. Pace them quickly, but not so fast that you lose control, as this can cause pain.
Step 2: Make circles in one direction for one minute and then reverse course and make circles for another minute.
Step 3: Perform three sets of front and back circles.
Modifications: If you can’t make large circles, make smaller ones. They are still effective.
Why I Like Them: Arm circles help warm up and limber your shoulders at the same time.
2. Fast Punching
If you want to move even faster, I suggest the fast punching exercise.
Step 1: Simply start punching straight out in front of yourself with fast, quick jabs delivered one after the other in a constant motion. You can imagine a punching bag—and even play the theme song from “Rocky” in your head.
Step 2: Punch for about 30 seconds. Perform three rounds, or as many times as you want to—because punching is really fun.
Modifications: If you can’t punch fast, don’t worry—punch as fast as you can. You should still feel toastier by the time you’re done. Add some fancy “dance like a butterfly” footwork, and you’ll get even warmer.
Why I Like Them: Fast punching increases your feeling of warmth and is quite exhilarating to boot.
3. High Knees
High knees are a great outside exercise and one you can tie in directly with walking. They focus on your hip flexors and can burn a surprising amount of energy to give you a quick burst of heat. When walking alone isn’t quite enough, the high-knees exercise can help. You can also do it as a quick indoor break if you don’t have much time but need to warm your core.
Step 1: Start in a standing position, with your feet hip-width apart.
Step 2: Quickly bring your right knee straight up until it’s as high as it comfortably goes, then immediately lower it and raise your left knee. You want to perform this at a running pace, but in place with your knees moving as high as they can. Be sure to move your arms in sync with the “run” as you go.
Step 3: Lifting a knee and then lowering it counts as one repetition. Perform three sets of 20 repetitions with each leg.
Modifications: If you can’t raise your knees high, just raise them as high as you can. If a running pace is too much, you can still get warm by doing these at a more moderate, marching pace.
Why I Like Them: You can pace the high-knees exercise slowly, or you can pace them fast—which I vastly prefer—depending on how much heating you need. The faster you perform them, the more heat you generate.
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4. Leg Swings
Leg swings utilize large muscles to move large limbs, which generates substantial heat for your body. Instead of front-to-back leg movements, I suggest practicing side-to-side movements. These tend to be gentler on tired backs and easier to control.
Step 1: While standing, swing your right leg across your body in front of your left leg, then swing it out to your right side as far as you can comfortably.
Step 2: Swinging to one side of your body, then the other, counts as one repetition. Try to perform three sets of 30 repetitions.
Modifications: You may need to hold onto something for stability while performing this exercise. Slow the activity down as much as needed to maintain movement accuracy. You may also elevate your standing foot using a stair step for even more ease of motion.
Why I Like Them: Leg swings are quite effective in increasing body heat while also protecting your back and hamstrings.
5. Pogo Jumps
Pogo jumps are fun, simple little exercises that can be performed anywhere. They focus on your gastrocnemius and soleus muscles, which are located in the back of the lower leg, and can help take the chill out one hop at a time.
Step 1: While standing in place, perform small hopping motions using mainly your calf muscles. Though the exercise is called pogo jumps, we’re really performing pogo “hops.” You can flex and extend your knees slightly, but don’t let them take over.
Step 2: Continue performing the exercise for 30 seconds, being sure not to speed up as you go—maintain a consistent pace. Try to perform the exercise three times.
Modifications: If you have difficulty hopping with just your calf muscles, increase your knee bends and tap into your upper leg muscles a little, but again, don’t let them take over.
Why I Like Them: These cute little hops have a high degree of “movement economy,” but can function very well to increase your feeling of warmth.
6. Jumping Jacks
Let’s go all out now for a highly involved full-body exercise. Jumping jacks can get your metabolism revved up, and by the time you’re done, you may be plumb tuckered out, but you certainly won’t be cold anymore.
There are two movement positions for a proper jumping jack:
Position 1: Standing with your arms by your sides and your feet close together
Position 2: Standing with your arms touching overhead and your feet spread wide
The jumping jack exercise is a fast transition between these two positions.
Step 1: Start in position one, then rapidly transition to position two in one smooth movement, executing a small hop to allow your feet to move into position two while swinging your arms straight out to the sides and then up over your head.
Step 2: Rapidly transition back into position one by reversing the movement pattern. Moving into position two and back into position one is counted as one repetition.
Step 3: Perform 10 jumping jacks per set, and three sets, feeling free to modify the sets and repetitions to your liking.
Modifications: If jumping is too much, you can try stepping jacks. Step to one side, raising your arms, then step back to the center while lowering them, and repeat on the other side. Though not as vigorous, they can still ignite some warmth from the inside out.
Why I Like Them: Jumping jacks are one of the all-time great bodyweight exercises, and if you can perform them effectively, they’ll toast you right up.
These exercises can help you stay warm in the autumn and winter chill, saving you a shiver or two. I recommend starting with the arm exercises, then progressing to the leg exercises if you’re still chilly, which should warm you to your toes. I hope you find these exercises fun and effective.
About the Fitness Model: Aerowenn Hunter is a health editor and fitness model for The Epoch Times. Vibrant in her 60s, she’s an accredited yoga therapist who has dedicated three decades to teaching yoga.
Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Epoch Health welcomes professional discussion and friendly debate. To submit an opinion piece, please follow these guidelines and submit through our form here.
