Keeping up your exercise routine during the winter months can be very challenging. When it’s raining and snowing outside it can be very hard to motivate yourself to get out the house and exercise. Check out these 5 tips to prevent injury and keep you exercising during the months when most do not.
A lot of us go to a gym due to the ample equipment that we don’t have at home, but we can’t always be in the gym. Exercising outdoors is a great way to reconnect with nature and give your mind a change of scenery. Exercising during the cod months also prevents holiday time blues and combats the calories intake from the holiday season.
1.) Wear Dry Clothes, Not Just Warm
One of the fastest ways to make yourself miserable is if you are wet and cold. We have all experienced the bone chill as you get out the shower only to find out the room is freezing, and so are you. The same concept applies wen you are exercising in cold weather. Make sure you under layers are a dry fit material as this will dry up the sweat as you work out and prevent you from getting wet and cold.
2.) Wear Layers
Going off my first tip, make sure you wear layers when you go out into the cold. The first layer should be sweat drying material, but you also need to wear warm air trapping layers to keep the warm air in. Here is an example of ho to layer when you go out into cold weather: Wear the sweat drying layer first. Then if it is really cold outside, put on a middle layer that will trap the heat. Third, put on an outside shell that will protect you from the wind, snow, and rain.
3.) Check Your Shoe Traction
This is the most important tip to prevent injury during your outdoor exercises during the winter months. When the roads are wet and slippery the traction on your shoes is the only thing preventing you from slipping and falling to the ground. Make sure to check the bottoms of your shoes before you take them out into bad weather. If you notice a lot of wear and tear, then it’s probably time to get some new shoes.
4.) Warm-Up Before
No matter if you are in cold weather or warmer weather, warm-ups are necessary before you embark on your workout. Warm-ups before a workout in cold weather will help you get your blood flow going. This will raise your core body temperature and send warmer blood to your muscles, preventing injury.
5.) Drink Lots of Water
Most who work out in cold weather will tell you they don’t feel as thirsty when they work out in the cold over the heat. The truth is, your body is still losing fluids so making sure you are hydrating the same amount as if you were in hotter weather is key. If you are planning on working out for long periods of time, bring some Gatorade to supplement some electrolytes.
Looking out the window and seeing rain and snow would damper anyone’s fitness routines. Driving to a gym could be just as tough. Following these 5 tips, working out in cold weather should not be as daunting. Yes, mother nature will sometimes win the battle, but you will ultimately win the war reaching your fitness goals.
If you are having trouble obtaining the right mentality to make a change or you want more fitness education, you may want to consider working with a personal trainer!
Come in to Iron Orr Fitness Center today to receive a FREE Complimentary Consultation. We will give you a medical grade body composition test, a 20min workout/evaluation with one of our certified personal trainers and develop a plan to help you reach your fitness goals.
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