Exercising outdoors can give you a completely different and enthralling experience but can affect your health if proper precautions are not taken. Cold weather mornings are not really the ones we wish for when it comes to workouts because getting out of the bed itself is a herculean task. Tackling winter is actually not that tough if you build your body’s immunity. Training in winter also has another benefit- you tend to burn more calories as the body tries to combat the cold weather by increasing the pulse rate which eventually increases energy consumption.
Say NO to gloomy workouts in the winter season by following these interesting tips:
1. Wear apparel that is light. You may think you need to dress in multiple layers during winter, but actually that’s not true. Your body temperature tends to spike up when you workout and hence you may start feeling hot. When you wear thick winter clothes you may find it uncomfortable to push yourself beyond a certain point. Avoid cotton and wear synthetics as the first layer to prevent the fabric from sticking to your skin when you sweat. You may want to wear a sweater if you feel really cold.

2. Always keep your skin hydrated as winter season tends to easily dry the skin. It is also advisable to apply moisturizer before you step out for your workout. Never rub your dry skin with hands.

3. Concentrate on your breathing pattern and ensure you take long deep breaths. It is always good to inhale through your nostrils and exhale through your mouth. The longer the air stays inside the body, the better the lungs make use of it.

4. If you don’t have the practice of taking a hot shower before your winter workouts you might as well start now as this helps to pre-condition your muscles and has a similar effect to stretching.

5. Avoid running strenuously when it is too cold. Instead shorten your stride and keep your feet low to the ground while running. This way you’ll reduce the risk of injury and run more efficiently.

6. Never go into a warm room immediately after your workout as this may induce shock reactions in the muscles which is not good. Instead, dry your body with a towel, walk a little and have a nice cup of coffee to slowly strike a balance between the body temperature and the ambient temperature.

 

 

Reference:
http://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon/participant-information/winter-training-tips.aspx
https://www.freeletics.com/en/knowledge/7-tips-training-winter/