7 Great tips to help you continue training during winter

Tips to help you continue training during winter

Do you also feel that when winter begins, all physical activity becomes an extreme sport? Here are 7 highlights, insights and exercise tips for days when the trails are wet, muddy or covered in snow. If you need tips for training during winter, you got to the right place.

The question is often asked what characterizes physical activity during the winter compared to physical activity during the summer. Well, usually the exercise should be the same. At the same time, the different environmental conditions may influence the choice of the nature of the activity, the choice of the location and length of the activity. The environmental and temperature conditions that characterize winter (cold, rain, poor health, etc.) do not always make it possible to maintain a standard training unit, so quite often we are forced to change the type of training required or even give up its existence. In fact, studies show that the winter period also has a psychological effect on our behavior.

Quite a few times, during the winter, people tend to develop a lack of desire and unwillingness to exercise – something that impairs the ability to be consistent and persistent in the training program. Training in a closed building that includes a warm and pleasant atmosphere can solve many of the existing winter constraints outside. Exercising at home is considered a good option, but it should not be compared to the many benefits of exercising in the gym. The variety of devices in the gym, the ability of professional training, the large space for movement, the meeting of friends and more – all of these can help the trainee to persevere in the activity and go through the winter period in peace.

So here are our tips to help you continue training even during the cold days of the winter

1. If I cannot join a fitness club, is it really possible to train at home?

Certainly yes, and it also has some unique benefits: you can decide when to practice, what music to listen to, what clothes are comfortable and simple to wear and all this without anyone bothering you in your home and private atmosphere. At the same time, keep in mind that the house is full of various stimuli that will easily distract you from the training and will not allow you to train seriously. All you have to do in this case is choose a neutral area for the activity, and devote free time to training so that it does not conflict with the activity time of another task

2. How do you train at home?

Since there is no variety of equipment at home, such as the one in the fitness club, in some exercises you will have to use your body weight, and in others you will have to buy simple training accessories (weights, elastic bands, etc.). For investors among you, you can even buy home fitness devices to strengthen muscles, or devices for developing lung endurance such as a moving track, home exercise bikes and the like. When buying elastic bands, it is recommended to buy fitness bands with different levels of difficulty (each level of difficulty has a different color) so that you can adjust the intensity of the resistance of the exercise and gradually progress in strengthening the muscles. Additional accessories, such as a large ball, will be able to diversify your workout with a variety of fun exercises. . If you do not want to leave the house – you can always move your body in the warm living room – in front of videos of fitness exercises, moving on a treadmill, stationary bike or any other home fitness device (all home accessories and fitness equipment can be purchased at any sports store).

3. In the winter there is no desire to exercise, is it still recommended to continue exercising during this period?

For sure. Exercise has many positive effects on body health, disease prevention and obesity prevention. In various studies, it has been reported that people who continue to engage in moderate physical activity during the winter may reduce their chances of developing upper respiratory tract infectious diseases by 20%. Therefore, you should continue to engage in moderate physical activity that includes aerobic endurance components, strength components and flexibility. At the same time, be sure to warm up properly before starting the workout and be equipped with appropriate clothing to maintain body heat.

4. Does the warm up also have an impact on the function of the joints during the activity?

Keep in mind that on cold winter days, joint flexibility and muscle elongation decrease significantly in cold weather. The decrease in flexibility may lead to a decrease in performance, an increase in the level of risk of muscle cramps and in some cases an increase in the risk of sports injuries.

The joints are definitely affected by the cold. The joint is built so that a special liquid “lubricates” it and allows its smooth and normal operation. The fluid is normally present in the joint in a relatively small amount and the warm up action causes an increased secretion of the fluid and thus “lubricates” the joint towards its activity. Therefore, both for the benefit of the muscles and for the joints – it is recommended in the winter to take care, even more than usual, of a thorough warm-up before the start of training.

The warm-up should encompass all the muscles and joints that will be involved in the same workout, and it is also recommended to perform a general warm-up of the body by an action that raises the pulse and circulates the blood.

5. What should we do to maintain a proper body temperature when it comes to winter activities?

In the cold season it is important to keep the body warm during the training and especially when you finish the activity, therefore, the main emphasis is after the end of the training. It is important to avoid sharp transitions from heat to cold, so after training in a closed hall it is recommended to wear warm clothes before going out into the open air. Mainly the head and neck area should be maintained with hats, scarves and turtlenecks. All those who engage in physical activity in the open air must take care to maintain body heat by wearing appropriate clothing.

6. It’s winter and cold and yet we chose to exercise outside a closed building, what should we be careful about?

If you chose cycling: in order to keep your body warm in order to protect yourself from the cold wind, it is recommended to wear a layered shirt or a windproof garment, riding sleeves for hands that can be taken off if necessary, and long gloves. Keep your feet warm and protect your shoes from rain and mud. There are knee and leg warmers for wearing over the usual clothes that can be taken off if it gets hot.

Not to forget glasses that protect from the wind and a light (and not particularly hot) raincoat for rainy days.

If you opted for a walking or jogging activity: keep in mind that inhaling cold air is accompanied by a feeling of discomfort that sometimes slows down the running pace, so to ease, it is recommended if possible, to inhale the cold air through the nose so that it warms up until it reaches the lungs. Warm clothing should be worn, but not too much to prevent the body temperature from rising. It is recommended to warm up at home, indoors or anywhere else that is away from the wind and cold before you go for a walk, and try to perform the activity in the warmer hours of the day.

7. There is a claim that the body’s physiological responses to training in cold weather conditions are different from those obtained in training in favorable weather conditions, what is this?

An interesting phenomenon that is characteristic of exercise in the cold, is a rapid depletion of glycogen stores (a storehouse of carbohydrates in the liver and muscles) and an increase in the metabolism of fat. The rapid rate of glycogen use depletes its stores in the body, forcing the muscles to turn to fat as a preferred source of energy. The adrenaline hormone secreted during exercise also causes accelerated use of fats as an energy source, which actually creates increased fat burning. The cold conditions increase the metabolic rate in the body, among other things to maintain a normal body temperature, so the winter season is a wonderful time for those who want to get rid of extra pounds of fat.

If you enjoyed reading this, you will probably enjoy this great article about 7-Amazing-Daily-Health-and-Wellness-Tips as well.