75 Hard Outdoor Workout in Rain: Rules & Safety

It’s pouring outside. Or it’s 20 degrees. Or the forecast just flipped to a thunderstorm warning. You’re staring out the window, wondering if today is the day the weather forces you back to Day 1.

In almost every case, the weather doesn’t get a vote. There’s one real line where safety overrides the rules, though, and knowing exactly where that line sits will save you from both a restart and a hospital visit.

This guide covers the official rule, the single legitimate exception, and how to actually get the outdoor workout done when conditions are miserable.

Does rain or bad weather cancel the 75 Hard outdoor workout?

No. The outdoor workout still counts in the rain, and you still have to do it.

75 Hard was created by entrepreneur Andy Frisella, and the program requires two 45-minute workouts every day, at least three hours apart, with one of them outdoors. The official rules are blunt about weather. As Frisella’s own write-up puts it, “Regardless of the weather… if you fail to complete at least one outdoor workout each day… you must restart 75 HARD.”

Rain, snow, heat, and cold aren’t exceptions. They’re the point. The outdoor requirement exists to build mental toughness by forcing you outside when you’d rather stay in.

One more detail people miss: no cover is allowed. A covered porch, an open garage, or a stadium overhang doesn’t count. If you’re using a roof to dodge the rain, it isn’t an outdoor workout anymore.

So the default answer to “does it count in bad weather” is yes, and the default answer to “can I skip it” is no, because skipping any task means starting over from Day 1.

The one real exception: a serious threat to your health or safety

There is exactly one situation where coming inside is the right call: a genuine threat to your health or safety. Frisella’s own framing leans on common sense here. Nobody is asking you to stand in a lightning field to protect a streak.

That covers four conditions:

Lightning and thunderstorms
Dangerously low temperatures or wind chill
Extreme heat and humidity
Hazardous air quality (wildfire smoke, for example)

Read this part carefully, because it’s where most people get the rule wrong. A safety threat doesn’t mean you skip the outdoor workout. It means you reschedule it to a safer window the same day.

Storms pass. Mornings are cooler than afternoons. Air quality shifts with the wind. If you treat a dangerous hour as a reason to bail entirely, you’re still on the hook for a restart. Treat it as a reason to move the workout three hours instead, and you keep your streak and your safety. The whole game is timing, not skipping.

Lightning and thunderstorms: when to go indoors

Lightning is the clearest case for going inside. It’s also the easiest to get a precise rule for.

The National Weather Service guidance is simple: “When thunder roars, go indoors.” If you can hear thunder, you are already within striking distance of the storm. There’s no “far enough away” if it’s audible.

The NWS also uses the 30-30 rule. Count the seconds between a flash and the thunder. If it’s 30 seconds or less, the storm is within about six miles and you should already be sheltered. Then wait a full 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder before heading back out.

A thunderstorm doesn’t force a restart, then. It forces a delay. Get inside, wait out the storm plus the 30-minute buffer, and do your outdoor 45 once it’s safe. If the storm sits over you all evening, this is exactly why you don’t leave the outdoor workout for last.

Cold, wet, and freezing conditions: hypothermia and frostbite

Cold is sneakier than lightning because there’s no thunderclap to warn you. The danger creeps up, especially when you’re wet.

Most people don’t know this: hypothermia can set in even at temperatures above 40°F if you get chilled from rain, sweat, or cold water, according to the CDC. You don’t need a blizzard to be at risk. A long walk in cold rain with the wrong clothing is enough.

Wind chill stacks the odds against you. OSHA’s cold-stress guidance notes that wind amplifies how fast your body loses heat, and at wind chills below roughly -20°F, exposed skin can develop frostbite in about 30 minutes. That’s a genuine safety threat, and a fair point to move the workout to a warmer part of the day or shorten exposure.

For everything short of that danger zone, the answer is gear, not surrender. Both CDC and OSHA recommend layering:

A moisture-wicking base layer to pull sweat off your skin
An insulating mid-layer to trap warmth
A water and wind-resistant outer shell

Keep your feet dry. Wet feet lose heat dramatically faster than dry ones, so waterproof footwear and a spare pair of socks matter. And change out of wet clothing the moment you finish, because the chilling continues after you stop moving. For more cold-weather options, see our winter workout ideas.

Extreme heat and humidity

Heat is the mirror image of cold, and it can be just as dangerous.

The number that matters is the heat index, the National Weather Service’s measure of apparent temperature that combines air temperature with humidity. It reflects what your body actually feels and how hard it has to work to cool itself.

Two things make it worse than the thermometer suggests. Full sunshine can raise the heat index by up to 15°F over shaded readings. And once the heat index climbs into the 103 to 124°F danger range, heat cramps, exhaustion, and heat stroke become real risks with prolonged activity.

The fix here is almost always timing. Heat peaks in the mid-to-late afternoon, so move the outdoor workout to early morning or evening, when it’s cooler, and stay on the same day. Bring water, and remember that hydration is already part of 75 Hard. See our gallon-of-water tips for getting it down without forcing it. For more warm-weather options, check our summer workout ideas.

How to actually get the outdoor workout done in bad weather

Most weather problems are really planning problems. Here’s how to make sure conditions never cost you a restart.

Do the outdoor workout earlier in the day. The single biggest mistake is leaving it for the evening, then watching a storm roll in or the temperature drop. If you knock it out in a calmer window, you have the rest of the day as backup.

Default to walking. A deliberate 45-minute walk in proper gear is the most reliable bad-weather workout there is. It needs no equipment, it works in light rain and cold, and it clearly meets the outdoor requirement. If you’re unsure what else qualifies, see what counts as a workout and our broader workout ideas.

Gear up before you go. A waterproof shell, a hat, gloves in winter, and waterproof shoes turn a miserable walk into a routine one. The discomfort 75 Hard wants is mental, not a soaked hoodie clinging to your back.

Watch the forecast and set a reminder. If you know rain hits at 3 p.m., plan the outdoor 45 for noon. This is where a tracker earns its keep. Reset75 lets you log your outdoor workout and set daily reminders so weather never sneaks up and forces a missed task. The streak you’re protecting is easier to protect when it’s on a schedule, not in your head.

The rule is strict, but it’s survivable. Plan the timing, wear the right layers, respect the genuine safety lines, and the rain becomes just another day you got it done.

Frequently asked questions

Does the 75 Hard outdoor workout still count if it’s raining?

Yes. Rain is not an exception; the outdoor workout still counts and must be completed, with no cover allowed.

Can I skip the 75 Hard outdoor workout because of bad weather?

No, skipping any task means restarting from Day 1. The only time to come inside is a genuine threat to your health or safety, and even then you should reschedule the outdoor workout to a safer window the same day.

What weather counts as a serious threat to your health or safety on 75 Hard?

Lightning and thunderstorms, dangerously low temperatures or wind chill, extreme heat, and hazardous air quality are situations where standard safety authorities advise staying indoors.

Do I have to start 75 Hard over if there’s a thunderstorm?

Not if you reschedule the outdoor workout to a safe window that same day. NWS guidance is to stay indoors and wait 30 minutes after the last thunder before going back out.

Can I do the 75 Hard outdoor workout under a covered porch or in the garage when it rains?

No. The rules state no cover can be used; a roof, porch, or open garage does not qualify as an outdoor workout.

What should I wear for a 75 Hard outdoor workout in the rain or cold?

Layer up: a moisture-wicking base layer, an insulating mid-layer, and a water or wind-resistant outer layer, and change out of wet clothing immediately afterward (per CDC and OSHA cold-stress guidance).

Is it safe to exercise outside in the rain?

Light to moderate rain is generally fine with proper gear, but watch for lightning, dropping temperatures, and getting chilled, because hypothermia can set in even above 40°F when you’re wet.

Does a walk count as the 75 Hard outdoor workout in bad weather?

Yes, a deliberate 45-minute walk in proper gear is one of the most reliable ways to meet the outdoor requirement when conditions are rough.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the 75 Hard outdoor workout still count if it's raining?