Indoor exercises for rainy days: how to stay active when it’s pouring outside

Indoor exercises for rainy days become especially relevant in the rainy season — whether it’s tropical downpours in Malaysia or a long, wet autumn in Europe and Central Asia. When the weather cancels your walk, movement easily drops out of the day, and with it goes your sense of energy.

How to stay active when it rains?

The key is to decide in advance what will replace your usual outdoor activity. The guideline stays the same: the WHO recommends 150–300 minutes of moderate activity per week and strength exercises at least 2 days a week for adults (WHO), and short bouts of movement count too (CDC).

• A walk in a shopping mall, covered market or large train station — a level floor and no rain.
• Stairs instead of the elevator: in one study, short stair climbs (about 60 steps) three times a day for 6 weeks improved fitness in inactive people (ScienceDaily).
• Moving around the house: walking during phone calls, dancing to music, energetic cleaning.

Indoor exercises for rainy days: a simple routine for beginners

The routine takes 15–20 minutes, needs no equipment and works in any weather. Do 2–3 rounds, resting 30–60 seconds between exercises (British Heart Foundation, BHF).

• Marching on the spot with high knees — 1 minute to warm up.
• Chair squats — 10–12 reps.
• Wall or table push-ups — 8–12 reps.
• Calf raises holding onto a support — 15 reps.
• Glute bridge lying on a mat — 12 reps.

For more ideas, see our articles Micro-workouts throughout the day and Strength training after 40 — they include exercises that are also easy to do at home.

Overcast weather and less light often sap your energy, so it’s important to keep your usual rhythm of sleep, meals and movement. During such periods some people wear the X39 patch, which, according to LifeWave, supports energy and recovery, and during the day choose Energy Enhancer, a patch for steady energy without caffeine.