That said, you could burn more calories out in the cold than inside a warm house. So, a few outdoor workouts in winter, even just walking, can have great benefits. But how can you exercise safely with all that cold? Here’s how.
How to Work out Outside in The Winter
Before indulging yourself in outdoor exercise in winter, here’s what you need to understand. You see, extreme cold causes blood arteries to become narrow. This increases blood pressure as the heart pushes the blood through narrow veins.
Therefore, it would be important to take extra precautions. To limit such concerns while exercising in winter, it’s crucial to observe these 10 tips on how to exercise outside in the winter:
1. Dress in warm clothes
Wear warm sweat-wicking clothes, gloves, a hat, and warm boots or shoes. Keep in mind that once you start to exercise, your body will warm up. So, dress in layers that you can easily take off when it gets hot. Keep your workout clothes near the heater to keep them warm before wearing them. Use a mask to cover your nose and mouth to keep the cold out.
2. Start with a warm-up
Dynamic warm-up before the race helps to stretch muscles that contract when it’s cold. If your exercise involves running, start by walking or running slowly. A nice warm-up will prepare your muscles for the exercise and prevent muscle soreness.
3. Observe safety
Avoid steep pavements where you could easily slide or areas with too much snow. Beware of hidden obstacles under the snow. Use wide roads where you can see the tarmac or a playground. If you’re running on the road, make sure you wear reflective clothes to prevent accidents. Plus, wear shoes with non-slip pads to avoid falling.
4. Exercise with a partner or a group
An exercise becomes fun when you’re in a group. You feel motivated, and you have more reasons not to miss out on the workout. Should anyone experience an emergency, the group is there to help.
5. Keep up with weather updates
This will help you know what to expect. Then you can plan the appropriate dressing and exercises for the weather. Sometimes the weather may change drastically, making it hard to go outside. So having a plan B is essential. Ensure you have a few gym tools like exercise mats, weights, treadmills and more in your house for use on such days.
6. Stay hydrated
Don’t wait until you feel thirsty to drink water. Most people don’t feel thirsty in winter. Yet, your body loses water from the heat generated in an exercise. Drink warm water if it’s too cold. Alternatively, drink flavored beverages to stay hydrated. Do this at least two times, before and after the exercise.
7. Beware of frostbite and hypothermia
Learn the signs of frostbite and hypothermia, and whenever you see the symptoms, get into a warm place. If you feel numbness in exposed skin parts, that’s an early sign of frostbite. Hypothermia, on the other hand, occurs when you’re exposed to too much cold to the point of shivering and having slurred speech. Warming yourself up can help.
8. Use your breaks to exercise
One reason why people don’t exercise much is lack of time. During winter, time is even shorter. You leave home while it’s dark and come back when it’s dark. So, making use of your lunch break and other breaks to exercise may be a good idea. Even walking for a few minutes every day can have a great impact.
9. Use winter activities for exercise
Some activities can only be done during winter. Why not do some of those activities to spice up your workouts in winter? You can try something like ice fishing, ice skating, snowboarding, skiing, building a snowman, among others. Sometimes the goal is to get you out of the house for a while. So, you don’t have to try something extremely strenuous.
10. Monitor your health
If you have some health issues, consult your doctor before engaging in outdoor workouts. Keep monitoring your heart rate to make sure it’s within safe levels. Engage in less strenuous activities such as walking the dog and doing activities around the house. Avoid going too far from your home unless you have a partner who can help in case of an emergency.
Alternatives to outdoor workouts
Your body needs exercise, whether it’s winter or summer. However, sometimes, the weather may limit outdoor exercises. That’s why it’s crucial to have a home gym as an alternative.
A treadmill, an exercise bike, and some free weights are the most common gym equipment for homes. Technogym provides you with gym machines that can simulate the outdoor environment right into your home. These tools give you a feeling that you’re still training outside.
So even when you’re exercising indoors with these machines, you don’t feel alone. It’s the same as exercising outdoors with a couple of friends. Check out some of the many varieties of gym equipment offered by Technogym.
Keep Exercising Regardless of the Weather
If the weather allows, go for outdoor exercises, and apply the 10 tips on how to exercise outside in the winter. Supplement outdoor workouts with indoor workouts at your home gym. Whatever the case, don’t stop exercising because of bad weather.
