Suggest A Winter Sport

[jyl]

Last winter, my exercise was riding my bike. This worked fine as far as exercise went. It was also cold, wet, sometimes exhilarating, often miserable. And my bike got filthy.

Enough became, in the end, too much. I ride to work 5 days/wk so on 7 am on a weekend morning, pitch black and freezing rain lashing down, it just got hard to haul myself out of bed, put on the rain and cold gear, and set off. It started to feel like I was working 7 days/wk.

I think I'd like to find an ***indoor*** winter sport.

Criteria:
- Indoors
- Good exercise, ideally muscle as much as cardio
- Not too expensive, in equipment or club fees
- Don't need to join a team (I'm not a team guy) or search high and low for partners to play w/ or against.
- Doesn't chew up a ton of time.
- I would prefer not to get badly injured.

Some choices that have been suggested to me, or that suggested themselves:
- Speedskating. My neighbor does this. His club skates biweekly, Oct to Apr. The skates are cool - carbon fiber boots and long wicked blades. He says only one girl in the club has been meaningfully injured. Cons: I can't skate. But he says inline skates are a decent way to get the feel of it over the summer.
- Fencing. My son fences, so I could go to his school, where it is cheap and lined with super cool posters of fencing competitions back to the 1960's. A good friend fences (very well indeed). So I'd have some support. Cons: is it really much exercise? It doesn't really look like it.
- Rock climbing. There is an indoor climbing place near us. My son does that too. Some of the girls are pretty hot. I'm old but not too fat, so I won't feel like an idiot. Cons: It smells, real locker room B.O. odor, will I get used to it?
- Karate. I did this for a bit in college and liked it. Specifically, I liked karate and not judo which I also tried. I recall it was great for fitness. There are dojos around here. Cons: none of them seem to be good old "karate", I guess that's uncool now? Suppose I end up in a psychopathic group and get stomped like the Karate Kid should have been?
- Tennis. There is a club near me with 3 or 4 indoor courts. I used to be a good player. Cons: yeah, and that was decades ago. I don't know anyone who plays. The whole dueling calendars and "okay, how about two weeks from next Wednsday" hassle looms.

Ideas? Suggestions? Mockery?

[HardDrive]

Take it indoor. Love my CycleOps.

Amazon.com: CycleOps Fluid 2 Indoor Bicycle Trainer: Sports & Outdoors

[jyl]

Oh yeah, I was thinking about rollers or a trainer too, that is still an option. I just forgot to mention it.

Other options:
- Swimming. I was doing that but eventually gave up on the community pool. While a great facility, big and clean and friendly, the pool is too tightly scheduled. Lap swim only certain hours which didn't mesh with mine. Great exercise though! Cons: I'd have to join a fitness club with an indoor pool.
- Spinning. Someone suggested this. Spinning classes, I guess he meant. I'm not sure why it would be better than using a trainer at home, other than the group motivation thing. Cons: join a club. Not riding my own bike that fits me.

[Bill Douglas]

Tennis people are nice (nice looking) and fun. They tend to be a bit social too with a drink after the games. Unlikely to get hurt unless you get into wild serves which gives your shoulder death. Squash, no no no. Smashed in the face with someone elses racket. Squash ball trying to make it up your bum, everyone else better at it than you... The list goes on. Did I mention I have a barely used squash racket if anyone wants it.

[jcc911]

Believe it or not, curling is a lot of fun. Have done it a couple of times and have always had a good time.
I guess there wasn't a whole lot of exercise involved but some leg/glute work.....and not to mention we end up drinking a few beers.

May not be much for exercise, but satisfies my competitive side in the winter.

[jhynesrockmtn]

I like spin classes, haven't done that in a while. Bikram Yoga is my thing for the last few years. Just had a physical at 49, resting heart rate in the low 50's. It's fairly expensive though, classes average $10-$15 each depending on how often you go. I used to play squash regularly but that requires lining up partners. If you have a regular partner that can be a good way to go plus you have someone to have a pint with after.

[tharbert]

My first impression is that you're burnt out a little. I have a few suggestions.

Consider taking a break. It won't hurt you to pull back 50% or go a couple weeks off the bike. Schedule something more leisurely like an afternoon in a canoe or plan a handful of hike when you would normally be headed out on your weekend ride.

One thing that's become popular even in our little rural area: Crossfit. It's basically training for nothing or maybe training for everything? It's a combination of aerobic and anaerobic circuits, calisthenics, wind sprints, kettle bars, medicine balls, etc. Maybe you've seen crossfit competitions on TV? If I had to stop all the other stuff I do, I'd probably start crossfit....and, done right, you'll look great.

Set a goal. Last fall, I decided to do an Olympic triathlon. Over the winter, I picked up my running and hit the pool three days a week. On top of all the riding I do, I ended up dropping about 7 pounds I didn't know I needed to drop. Did the Memphis Tri last weekend. Now, I have to set a new goal. I'll be watching what others post here with that in mind.

[Zeke]

There is but one classic indoor sport for when it's cold outside. Not an individual sport, though.

[VincentVega]

Pilates, swimming, spin class, weight training. I get bored to death on the bike trainer and have a hard time keeping up the intesity.

I havent played racketball in ages but loved it, could be spendy based on what's available in your area.

[Tobra]

tai chi or a kickboxing class

[rouxroux]

I've got it.........Curling!

And while you're getting a cardio workout practicing your broomwork, the wife thinks that you're helping out cleaning the house. Women like that, then Slap, just like that.

[pavulon]

Curling is fun and can be really competitive/frustrating but it's generally not a workout (unless your teammates suck...then you have to sweep like crazy), falling on the ice can be really painful and the (?mandatory?) drinking at the end usually kills any health benefit you might have realized.

Now shoveling real volumes of snow is a different story...that is a workout.

[flipper35]

Volleyball.

[vash]

spin classes, indoor rock climbing (will kick your butt, plus the kids will love it)

and...(i'm gonna hang my man card out there!)....YOGA. nameste, brother,.

[dienstuhr]

Floor hockey - if you like ice hockey it's great. Huge cardio plus hand/eye coordination benefits etc.

Fencing - also cool and a good workout.

[kaisen]

Wii Fitness

[Kraftwerk]

Indoors?
Winter is such a great tine to be out side. Freezing rain is a bummer tho...
I started sailboat racing. Its called "Frostbiting". I Don't get points though since last was so warm.

[Mark Henry]

Martial arts...pick one.
We do Karate and I always work up a big sweat by the end of class. Plus it's easy to practice at home.
We also ride bikes, I assure you that some kind of MA is a better workout.

[porwolf]

Ski Jöring!

[MT930]

Water polo will whip you into shape keep you that way.

It's core intense. It will kick your but early. It's brutal.