One of the best ways to avoid the Binghamton winter blues is to stay active. Exercise is a key element in keeping your mood stable when the temperature drops, and the additional health benefits are a nice bonus. However, inclement weather and icy roads can make our favorite outdoor activities nearly impossible. Check out how our staff stays in shape when the winter kicks in.

Patrick Earns, Assistant Arts & Culture Editor

One of my previous favorite winter workouts was to go to indoor trampoline establishments and bounce my way to better health. While they’re far too expensive to serve as your primary means of cardio, they offer a fun and creative way to burn calories when your usual workout routine becomes too monotonous to bear. There are very few feelings in the world as satisfying as leaping literal meters in the air, making a mockery of the small children that almost certainly surround you. However, make sure to be careful when you’re jumping from one trampoline to another, as a gnarly sprained ankle ended my indoor trampoline career, forever confining me to the humdrum boredom of the Binghamton University East Gym exercise bike row. Oh, to be young again.

Gabriela Iacovano, Arts & Culture Editor

I love to roller skate, but I struggle with Binghamton’s hilly roads, so last year I spent a lot of time skating in the square of hallway near the Food Co-op. Since that area went under construction, I’ve started skating in Lecture Hall. It’s shaped almost exactly like a roller rink, but it’s a bit more conspicuous than the basement, which leads to some awkward eye contact when people are leaving their night classes. I’ve been trying to stick to Saturdays this semester.

Sasha Hupka, Editor-in-Chief

When the weather is good, I like to run outside, but treadmill running really sucks for more than a few miles. I still want to get my cardio in, so when I hit the gym, I do a mile-long warmup jog on the treadmill and then I head straight for the stationary bike. The ones in the East Gym have preset “rides” that are surprisingly immersive and keep me interested without having to brave the cold, rain and wind. To finish up, I usually do 15 minutes of ab exercises or a little bit of yoga. The best part is that the biking is actually ideal for my workout plan because running puts a ton of pressure on your legs and lower body. I just switch up my cross-training days based on the weather. Indoor cycling for the win!

Calendra Scahill, Assistant Arts & Culture Editor

Some of the worst things about living in Binghamton are the freezing temperatures and the prolonged winters. Although it may seem like a chore, shoveling snow during the winter months can actually be an amazing workout. Snow becomes surprisingly heavy when it accumulates in piles, so it only takes minutes for you to break a sweat when you start to shovel. I’m always winded whenever I shovel snow, even if it’s just a few inches in my driveway. Since there aren’t many opportunities to be active during the winter, this is the perfect way to burn some calories while you dig your car out of layers of snow. So the next time there’s a storm, take advantage of the snow and get a quick, productive workout in.

Kimberly Gonzalez, Digital Editor

Swimming is my favorite winter sport. With it being cold, I try and stay away from the conventional sport of running (although it usually gets pretty hot after a while). Indoor swimming gives you warm water, works out all of your muscles and doesn’t stress your bones out! It’s also free for BU students during lap and recreational times. Be sure to get there early to miss the crowds.

Jacob Kerr, News Editor

My favorite winter workout is anything cardio because I am inside avoiding the cold most of the season and walking outside as little as possible. I am hooked on the bikes they have at East Gym because of the trails you can follow on the screen. Plus, I will always be up for a game of pickup basketball. If there was more snow I would probably be snowshoeing, but it is pretty bare out there.