As the nights begin to get longer and the days shorter, it’s no secret that it can be hard to motivate yourself to exercise. With the mercury continuing to drop, dragging yourself out the house and to the gym can often feel like one rep too many. But that needn’t mean your progress should suffer.
With a little planning and a few smart switches, you can easily adapt your exercise routine to the changing seasons without paying the price. Below, we walk you through a few of our recommendations to make light work of your new autumn and winter routine.
Get Bendy
If it’s chucking it down with rain outside, don’t force yourself to make it outside for what you had planned. Instead, try dipping your toe(s) into a yoga flow for some added mindfulness and some lower-intensity exercise. You’ll learn new skills, boost your mobility and iron out any niggles you may have picked up from your normal training style.
Working (Out) From Home
Similarly, if the weather is keeping you indoors and away from the squat rack, it doesn’t mean that you have to take your foot off the gas. The Third Space app (iOS, Android) is loaded with streamable workouts for you to try, including our signature WOD classes, full-body strength workouts, energising yoga flows, HIIT sessions and much more. Just tap ‘TRAIN’ in the Third Space app to get started.
Get Out on Lunch
Dark mornings and early evenings can wreak havoc on your routine, so let your lunch hour be the MVP of your day. At whichever club you visit, you’ll find dozens of different classes to sweat through — from Sweat X to The WOD and Formula 3 to Hardcore Cycle available from mid-day through to late afternoon, helping you get a sweat on without the stress of finding free equipment.
Fitness “Snacking”
Don’t forget that a healthy day looks different on everyone. If you’re struggling to block out an hour for exercise, break that 60 minutes up into fitness “snacks” throughout your day, in order to make the task more manageable. A morning walk, for example, followed by a 20-minute HIIT class at lunch and a mobility session in the evening is a surefire way to keep yourself on track.
Try Something New
If the colder temperatures and lower light levels are affecting your mental health and you don’t feel up to your usual routine, try learning a new skill or trying a new class at your local Third Space club. Whether it’s climbing, swimming or gymnastics, learning a new skill will boost your confidence and fire-up your feel-good hormones — the ideal antidote to seasonal affective disorder.
