Six workouts to beat the rainy day woes

Emma Livingstone
author
Published on Oct. 25, 2017
Raincouver is no match for your fitness goals. Jerry Yin

It’s finally fall! Which, in Vancouver, means constant downpour and not seeing the sun for the next six months. But don’t let the rain put a damper on your workouts. If your routine has been interrupted by bad weather, here are some workouts to try besides the treadmill at the busy BirdCoop.

Barre

Combine ballet and leg day with a barre workout. The SRC offers classes Mondays and Wednesdays, you can find videos online or check out some of the classes offered around Vancouver — Pure Barre in Kitsilano, for example. There’s also no jumping involved, so you can do this at home without angering your downstairs neighbours.

Swimming

Get wet, not from the rain, but from the pool. The UBC Aquatic Centre offers free student entry for you to practice your backstroke or butterfly. Swimming burns calories, tones muscles and is an essential life saving skill. So, why not do some laps until beach weather returns?

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[''] File Salomon Micko Benrimoh

Spin class

If your bike is your main source of activity and you’re tired of getting soaked, move it indoors with a spin class. Inspiring teachers and motivational music will keep your heart racing and legs pedalling. The SRC offers classes almost every day and there are multiple studios across the city, including the famous NYC studio, SoulCycle, in Yaletown.

YouTube workouts

If you really don’t want to leave the house, try a YouTube workout. FitnessBlender has multiple types of workouts with varying lengths, so you can fit some activity into your schedule. Blogilates is also a great resource for Pilates, with routines varying in time and intensity level.

Tennis

Get moving and working on your hand-eye coordination by playing tennis at the UBC Tennis Centre. They offer lessons to help you improve your techniques and students benefit from discounted court bookings on weekdays.

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[''] UBC Tennis Club

Trail running

Zip up your rain jacket and go for a run. It’s Vancouver, it’s going to rain. Don’t let it stop you. Take a friend for moral support and head to the trails where the trees will provide some shelter. You’ll find it refreshing as you push through that last kilometre.