Rain & Cardio

Well, it’s started raining rather regularly in my area. I normally do outdoor sprints for “cardio” (non-weights) days. I do not find much motivation to go to the gym to do cardio because I’m not in the outdoors, and I love the outdoors.

I’d appreciate some suggestions on what kind of exercise one can do for “cardio” or similar when it’s raining. Keep running in the rain? Other? No, this is not the most interesting question, but it would help me out. Thanks!

As long as you have a surface where you won’t fall and bust your ass run in the rain. Research has shown you won’t melt :).

[quote]john2009 wrote:
As long as you have a surface where you won’t fall and bust your ass run in the rain. Research has shown you won’t melt :).[/quote]

x2. Running in the rain is fun. Especially if there’s thunder. Makes it more exciting.

You could try sprints on a treadmill, but it’s not really close to the same intensity.

I’ve done intervals on elliptical machines, or bikes too.

Are there any indoor tracks in your area? Maybe at a college or in a large city close by?

Have you ever tried Tabatas?

It could be one of the hardest 4 minutes of your life if you do it right.

[quote]youngun wrote:
Well, it’s started raining rather regularly in my area. I normally do outdoor sprints for “cardio” (non-weights) days. I do not find much motivation to go to the gym to do cardio because I’m not in the outdoors, and I love the outdoors.

I’d appreciate some suggestions on what kind of exercise one can do for “cardio” or similar when it’s raining. Keep running in the rain? Other? No, this is not the most interesting question, but it would help me out. Thanks![/quote]

I have a circut that I do for cardio when it’s raining out.

Jumping jacks

step ups on a bench

sit-ups

Exercise bike

There are plenty of ways to do it. I spend 2 minutes at each station. I do this for about 30 min.

Hope this helps.

Cardio in the rain won’t work. Rain water on the skin is absorbed which in turn stops lipolysis and actually leads to weight gain through water retention.

[quote]Randy Smith wrote:
Cardio in the rain won’t work. Rain water on the skin is absorbed which in turn stops lipolysis and actually leads to weight gain through water retention.[/quote]

lol

man up and run in the rain.

don’t let a little water get between you and your goals.

[quote]homer1 wrote:
john2009 wrote:
As long as you have a surface where you won’t fall and bust your ass run in the rain. Research has shown you won’t melt :).

x2. Running in the rain is fun. Especially if there’s thunder. Makes it more exciting.[/quote]

Until you get hit by the lightening

You could always swim, then it would not even matter.

Wow, thanks for all your responses. After I wrote that post, I decided to go give running in the rain a shot. I headed to a local high school track and let 'er loose. Super sweet! It was about as enjoyable as some of the most beautiful non-rainy days.

I think one thing I need to do next time (tomorrow) is to warm up more because, once you get outside when it’s about 50-55 F and raining, you really don’t get warm enough prior to exercise.

Thanks again for all the help!

[quote]jbodzin wrote:
You could always swim, then it would not even matter.[/quote]

Yeah, I used to swim for 7 years or so. Since then, I’ve had shoulder surgery on each shoulder, however. I tried swimming after those surgeries… baaaad news. But, thanks for the suggestion. Were it not for the surgeries, I’d definitely get back on that. I’ve had to learn to manage on land. :slight_smile:

Do you have any covered areas where you can run? For example, I have a massive parking garage next door I run in if there’s heavy rain or snow.

not to hijack, but I’ll soon have a similar problem. I live in New England where 50-55 and raining is considered balmy this time of year. Pretty soon the snow will begin to fall, and while I don’t mind running in the cold or the rain, or even the snow for that matter, the ice is a bastard.

Even the ground usually freezes so cleats on a field aren’t even an option. Anyone got any good wintertime gpp suggestions that work well outdoors (and don’t involve me finding a mountain or buying any equipment)? I usually just do sprints on the rowing machine at the gym, but it’s kinda boring and I, like the OP, would rather be outside, even if it’s bitter cold.

[quote]Tom Highway wrote:
Do you have any covered areas where you can run? For example, I have a massive parking garage next door I run in if there’s heavy rain or snow.[/quote]

The deck is a good place for hill running all the time if you live in a flat area. I live near a university that has a deck for the faculity that pretty much clears out at night and weekends

[quote]elliotnewman1 wrote:
homer1 wrote:
john2009 wrote:
As long as you have a surface where you won’t fall and bust your ass run in the rain. Research has shown you won’t melt :).

x2. Running in the rain is fun. Especially if there’s thunder. Makes it more exciting.

Until you get hit by the lightening

[/quote]

Nonsense!!! Lightning is anabolic. I like to wrap myself in aluminum foil and climb the tallest tree I can find.

[quote]Randy Smith wrote:
Cardio in the rain won’t work. Rain water on the skin is absorbed which in turn stops lipolysis and actually leads to weight gain through water retention.[/quote]

Simply not true. The water retention is offset by the “X-vest effect”. All that water in your clothes is like wearing an X-vest when you train, increasing your energy expenditure.

To increase energy expenditure even more, run into the rain. Then you’ll be pushing against all those water drops flying at you.

[quote]yorik wrote:
Randy Smith wrote:
Cardio in the rain won’t work. Rain water on the skin is absorbed which in turn stops lipolysis and actually leads to weight gain through water retention.

Simply not true. The water retention is offset by the “X-vest effect”. All that water in your clothes is like wearing an X-vest when you train, increasing your energy expenditure.

To increase energy expenditure even more, run into the rain. Then you’ll be pushing against all those water drops flying at you.[/quote]

Hey you can also carry and umbrella while your run that would act like a parachute.

tabata squats, pushups, etc.

[quote]Edders wrote:
Hey you can also carry and umbrella while your run that would act like a parachute.
[/quote]

Or wear scuba gear complete with flippers for that full on challenge.