Staying fit and well in winter can be a bit more daunting than it is in the other three seasons of the year, but it’s key to having a happy, healthy season and being ready for whatever the spring may bring. Happily, we have a lot of ways to do that around here—find some you love and reap the rewards. Here are some things you can do indoors, either on your own or with other people, that will keep you in touch with your body till it’s hiking season again
find a yoga studio
Yoga instructors of every flavor can be found in the area—and, more than likely, there’s a studio nearby no matter where you live. If you’re a beginner, they’ll be happy to help you get the idea, and once you begin to experience the benefits, you’ll be hooked. Lots of studios started offering online sessions over Zoom during the pandemic and then kept it up when they realized it was popular; so even on days when freezing rain turns the highways into a skating rink, you’ll be able to get your yoga fix.
Stone Wave Yoga, Gardiner
Whole Sky Yoga, Stone Ridge
explore the martial arts
The art of hand-to-hand combat offers another great pathway to peak physical and mental you. Find a passionate sensei and discover why humans have been practicing and refining these tactics for centuries. The odds are you’ll never use these skills in a fight, especially since the mental discipline involved makes you a master of rising above it all. But hey, if you ever need them, self-defense skills are not the worst thing in the world to have in your tool kit.
Traditional Okinawan Karate, New Paltz
dance, dance, dance
Choices abound: you can learn to Lindy, cha-cha, tango, or rumba; join a hip-hop or jazz class; or study tap or ballet. It’s never too late, and there’s something for every skill level. Dancing does wonderful things for the body and mind alike. Once you’ve got some fresh moves, check out live music or DJ events and get out there on the floor and dance the night away. (No one will care if you bust your moves without a partner, but do stay hydrated.)
Biodanza, Stone Ridge: newworldritualdance.com/biodanza
