Winter Workouts

How to escape cabin fever and get your heart pumping while having some fun (and enjoy a change of scenery).

Good morning! Today is Monday, January 10, and you are reading today’s section of Examiner+, a digital newsmagazine serving Westchester, Putnam, and the surrounding Hudson Valley.

As a passionate goal-setter and list-maker, I love the start of a new year. I am fully invested in my digital life, but the truth is, I love a bound planner to track goals and physically document milestones. Like saying something out loud, writing it down seems to be more of a commitment, more of an action item, than typing it into my phone. I also find that doing this manually somehow has me feeling more accountable. Who knows? There’s no right or wrong, it’s all about the intention and the outcome.

The one category long cut from the list is fitness. I’m pretty confident in my routine and happy that it is scalable and dynamic for now, and likely forever. Health and wellness have always been a part of my life but finding the right path took years of exploration and trial and error. To embrace any lifestyle the journey usually takes twists and turns and hopefully culminates in something that is enjoyable, challenging and yields results. For many, that is all found at the gym. For others, it can be found on a trail, in a studio, court, dojang, or as part of a team. For me, it was all about what can I do now, at this stage of my life, continue to improve upon, and practice until the bitter end. One thing I know for sure is that writing down an open-ended, undefined goal of “go to the gym” probably won’t move the needle on your resolution list. Why? Because you need to define what you will do at the gym, why, and what is your desired outcome. Change that goal up by being specific, and by next year, if you chose the right path for you, it won’t be on your list, it will be part of your lifestyle.

So, my fountain of youth fitness routine is a daily dose of aquatic exercise and yoga. Two exercise modalities that I, and pretty much anyone else, can practice, and start with little or no experience. While I do need a pool (something I don’t have), and prefer a yoga studio to my living room, both forms of exercise can be accessed easily and consistently. 

So, I’ve stepped a little out of my comfort zone to explore a few creative exercise options for a new new year resolution this winter. Perhaps by incorporating them now, there will be a new space to fill on next year’s annual goal list.

Snowshoeing in Westchester and Putnam

Yes, you definitely need snow to add snowshoeing to your winter workout but when it arrives, and it will, there are numerous spots around Westchester and Putnam County to get started at.  If you are wondering how snowshoeing fits into a year-round routine, just swap it out with hiking at all the same venues in the warm weather and you’ve got your boxes checked. Snowshoeing requires some gear, (check out your local LL Bean or REI   for the best selection and recommendations) but is not a huge investment, and is a great way to burn between 500 -1,000 calories an hour. It is also helpful to know your landscape and terrain and choose parks and paths that are already established venues, at least at the beginning of your journey. Bring a friend, dress in layers, remember your “10 Essentials,” and plan your trip.  Westchester and Putnam Counties have a broad array of snowshoeing options including:

Teatown Lake Preserve
Blue Mountain Reservation
Harts Brook Park & Preserve
Mohansic Golf Course
Rockefeller State Park Preserve
Clarence Fahnestock State Park
Putnam County Trailway

Curling at the Ardsley Curling Club

If you have watched the Winter Olympics any time from 1998 on, you have probably seen curling, but likely have no idea what it is or how it is played. Curling is a team sport dating back to medieval Scotland. There are 4 members of each team and the game is played on “pebbled” rather than smooth ice. A game consists of 8 “ends” and the winner is the team that scores the most points by delivering the most stones.

Curling is taught at the Ardsley Curling Club, one of the oldest curling venues in the US, and is available to all ages (12 +) and abilities. There are Learn to Curl classes, programs for experienced curlers, teams to join, and leagues to play in throughout the year. The Ardsley Curling Club hosts numerous Open Houses throughout the year to introduce curling to the community and that is the best place to begin your curling exploration. Visit the website for Open House info, registration, and more information. Learn to Curl class packages start at $200.
Ardsley Curling Club
100 North Mountain Dr
Dobbs Ferry
www.ardsleycurling.com

Aquatic Exercise at Wings Over Water

If you make one adjustment to your winter workout that will change not just your shape but the shape of your future, incorporate an aquatic exercise class into the mix. This is hands down the best hour you will spend investing in yourself. Aquatic exercise, water aerobics, there are many names for this modality but it boils down to a high intensity, low impact workout that you can adjust yourself to fit your goals. You can burn up to 500 calories an hour–maybe more, work every major muscle group, increase range of motion, improve flexibility and finish feeling refreshed no matter how high you elevate your heart rate. There is also a unique fellowship in the pool; a cross-generational support system where participants are encouraging, fun, and enthusiastic. Everyone is welcome and there is a class for every ability and level of experience. The best part is that once you get started you can continue on with aqua exercise forever as it can be both challenging and therapeutic.  Wings Over Water offers a variety of classes daily, and also, unique to them, an affordable pay-as-you-go model. Reservations for classes are strongly encouraged because they fill up fast. Two locations — one in Brewster, the other in Fairfield, CT.
Wings Over Water
1511 Route 22 Lakeview Plaza, Brewster
2221 Black Rock Turnpike, Fairfield, CT
www.wingsoverwater.com

Join a running club!  Croton Running Company

Regardless of whether you are a seasoned runner, power walker, or trying running for the first time, joining a running club at a running store is a great winter workout option. Within the group, you will find a community, support, advice, enthusiasm, and much more. Croton Running Company offers just this and the group is the perfect antidote to both the winter blues and the pandemic. In addition to the obvious camaraderie, the benefits of joining one of CRC’s 2 running groups include safety, footwear fitting, training tips, goal-setting, and accountability. The groups meet at the shop, and the owner, Ellen, posts updates and schedule changes on her FB page where anyone can join. The women’s group meets on Saturday morning at 9 am, and the co-ed group meets on Thursday night at 6 pm. Of course, meeting at the shop ensures that if you need new shoes, or an adjustment or supplies, they are all right there before you head out on your run! Open Wednesday 12 – 5 pm, Thursday 12 – 7 pm, and Friday – Saturday 12 – 5 pm, and by appointment.
Croton Running Company
119 Grand St
Croton-on-Hudson
www.crotonrunningcompany.com

Outdoor HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training)

Creating your own HIIT workout is a great individual winter workout! You don’t need a lot of experience, tools, or even a gym. HIIT training workouts are typically 10-30 minutes in duration and involve a series of short intense intervals of exercise, each followed by an equal amount of rest. Even a beginner can chart a successful HIIT workout and there are plenty of options to choose from at reputable health and wellness sites. Winter is a fun time to incorporate a HIIT workout using nature and the outdoors. Grab a friend or enjoy the solitude of communing with nature alone. On dry land a workout could include jumping jacks, sprints, skipping rope, and running up and down bleachers, or using pull-up bars at a local park. These same exercises can be modified on skis, a snowboard, or include a brisk hike with the proper footwear. Add HIIT to your winter workout for fun, intense calorie-burning, and variety. Consult with your physician before trying any new exercise routine, and a great resource online for ideas and tools is the Cleveland Clinic.

Born and raised in Westchester, Nancy Sorbella’s lifestyle stories have been featured in several local and regional publications where she has also been a style and community columnist. She is the resident wordsmith for the Arthritis Foundation of NY and the Community Engagement Director by day, spending her free time exploring and experiencing the Hudson Valley. Follow Nancy for more of her adventures on Instagram @DetoursColumnist, Twitter @jsorbella, or on Facebook at Nancy Niskin Sorbella.

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