“Rise and rise again, until lambs become lions.” Let’s face it, working out is a LOT of effort! At least for most of us it is. With the sun mostly hiding behind dark clouds, and the cold making us want to stay in bed those extra 10 minutes, finding the motivation to exercise in the winter is even harder than otherwise. Let’s take a look at some of the exercises we can do that’ll keep us on our toes, without actually stepping out into the bitter cold!

7. Lunge Forward

After crunches comes lunges- “the twisted brothers”. If you want to strengthen the thigh muscles and the hamstrings, nothing can be better than the forward lunges. You can either do the lunges with just your body-weight, or use external weight like dumbbells or kettle-bells.

How to get started: Stand upright- hold the dumbbells/ kettle-bells by your sides, place your right foot about 2 feet ahead of you and bend till the shin is perpendicular to the ground. Pull back and stand upright. Now, repeat with the left foot. Alternate between the right and left feet 50 times, and you’re all set for the day!

8. Pushups

Also known as the floor dip in ancient times, pushups is the classic exercise that’s being performed since time immemorial. Pushups help with upper body conditioning, increase core strength and improve your metabolic rate. Get in the prone position (chest down and back up), raise and lower your body with the help of your arms. Make sure your back is straight and not angled, if you want to keep exercise injuries and chronic backaches at bay. All you need is immense motivation and an exercise mat, and you’ll be on your way to being a pro at pushups.

Day one: 10 pushups | Day two: 11 pushups | Day three: 12 pushups (and it continues till you reach a 50 pushups a day)