5 Great Indoor Workouts for Runners.

Just because you’re trapped indoors doesn’t mean your training plan has to go out the window.

You can still safely run outdoors by yourself or with a few of your running mates amid the Coronvirus pandemic if you follow the right precautions. That said, it’s pretty clear that our community feels anxious about venturing beyond their doorstep for a run, what with Google searches such as ‘running outside coronavirus’ exploding right now .

While even a walk in the park will do you some good in warding off cabin fever, there’s nothing wrong with taking your training indoors more often during this pandemic if it brings you a little more psychological well being.

However, many of us don’t have a Peleton, Zwift or even a garden-variety treadmill at home. With that, we at iRun thought it was high time to share
five great indoor workouts, sans fancy equipment, that’ll help keep you in shape and on track for your next race (whenever that may be).

1. Circuit Training

An excellent high-intensity, cardiovascular-meets-strength workout , circuit training will help you keep your speed up and your core strong while waiting out COVID-19.
A type of resistance training, circuit training employs a consecutive series of high-intensity aerobic workout routines and is perfect for home-bound runners, requiring minimal-to-no equipment. Here’s a great indoor circuit training workout.

2. Stair Climbing

Stair training’s another excellent, safe indoor workout for runners that improves your VO2 max, while seriously strengthening your lower body, especially if you live in an high rise condo or apartment building. Just think, taking the stairs to your apartment because the elevator’s down again won’t seem like pure torture anymore. Here’s a great staircase workout.

3. Skipping

Skipping is a a fantastic all-around exercise for runners that works the legs, arms, back and shoulders, while providing a solid mid-to-high intensity anaerobic workout (aka, a replacement for your tempo runs). Best paired with retro hip hop, disco or any music that makes you want to move. Start with 5-10 minutes of skipping a few times a week and extend the length of time from there. Slow down your pace and turn your skipping routine into an aerobic workout and target the most common training zone you spend time in as a for distance runner.

4. Yoga For Runners

Whether training indoors or outdoors, you still have take care of your body and guard against against injury; incorporating yoga into your weekly workout regiment is a great way do that. The most versatile of the five routines here for the house-bound runner, there’s a host of great yoga workouts available on YouTube alone which cater to runners by incorporating higher-tempo, strength-based movements alongside stretching exercises.

5. Meditation

Finally, while less of an exercise and more of a mindset, it’s important for runners to take care of themselves mentally as well physically, amid a world that seems to darken by the day. Why not meditate for at the end of your indoor workout? You may be surprised how much calmer you feel after even 5-10 minutes of meditative breathing. Further, meditation comes with the added health benefit of slowly reducing you heart rate after a vigorous exercise session, and also allow all that sweat to dissipate before you hop in the shower.
Popular Headspace offers myriad custom meditation exercises and programs to choose from.

Namaste, runners.