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When the last of the leaves change color and die, when the air grows cold and snow begins to fall, you may have to move your workout indoors. After all, many exercises that are normally done outside, such as running, can be practiced inside as well. Being confined to a gym has its advantages, as it almost forces you to use more of the equipment and train harder to stay in shape during the cold season.

The bench press is an invaluable tool in any fitness center. You can use it to work your arm and chest muscles, and it is a very convenient machine because the weight can easily be adjusted. All you have to do is remove or add weights to the bar, lie on the bench with the bar directly over your chest, and start pushing it up and down. The weight you use should be heavy enough that it restricts you from completing more than twenty repetitions in a set. If you find yourself doing sets of thirty repetitions, increase the weight by ten or fifteen percent.

If you usually incorporate running into your outdoor workout, get some miles in on a treadmill during the winter. You can go as many miles as you wish, and the treadmill can actually be useful for improving the quality of your workout. Most modern treadmills tell you exactly how far you've gone, how fast your pace is (in miles or kilometers), your heart rate, and the incline of the plane you are running on. You can adjust the incline, and speed up the treads to increase your pace to challenge yourself on the treadmill. The treadmill should not be taken for granted or overlooked.

Another advantage to working out in a gym is the availability of dumbbells. You need to be careful, though, because there are different workout strategies for building arm muscle and toning. If you are looking to get rid of excess fat from your arms, you want to use weights that are about half of the maximum that you can lift and do around thirty or forty repetitions with these. If you are trying to build muscle, you want to use the maximum weight that you can lift. You should only be able to do fifteen-twenty repetitions in a single set with your maximum, but be careful when finding your maximum. The maximum weight you can lift is found when you can complete a set of fifteen or twenty repetitions in good form, so start off with lighter weights to play it safe. You can always increase the weight you lift, and you cannot hurt yourself by using lighter weights; however, you will hurt yourself if you try to lift too much.

Ice skating can be a fulfilling workout, but I only recommend it if you have some experience. If you are struggling to learn how to ice skate, you will be working more on your balance and form, not your endurance. By all means, if you can skate perimeters on top of frozen ponds, go ahead. Ice skating can be done indoors or outdoors, but it is rather difficult to test your speed in a crowded skating rink. If you dress warmly, try to find a more private location to ensure that you have enough space to complete your workout.

Learn more about this author, David Aaron White.
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