Exercising in the Colder Months

Exercising throughout the colder months can be more challenging, from motivating yourself to get outside in the cooler conditions or maybe difficulty engaging yourself in off seasonal activities to the same level as your preferred seasonal activities/sport.  

The benefits of exercises still exist and the physical and psychological consequences of inadequate activity levels will prevail. If you don't move it, you will lose it and it is hard work to regain it!

If it's an off season for your usual sport or activity, use it to let your body and mind recover by participating in a different exercise type or sport. It's healthy for your body and mind to take a break from a strenuous competition phase or from a sport or exercise type that you have be doing continuously over a period of time. Moving your body in different ways can refresh your mind and enhance your physical health through accessing more joint ranges and strengthening new ranges while unloading overused joints.

Maintaining a fitness base is also favourable to your health and provides a strong leverage point to try new activities and/or re-commence seasonal activities/competition seasons. This is also an opportunity to establish a solid foundation and address any niggly issues or weakness to lessen potential injury risk and perform to a greater capacity in your returning to sport.

Embrace the cold weather and rug up suitably so you can enjoy the benefits from exercising outside in the fresh air and in nature, improved mental health, Vitamin D intake and maintenance of a healthy immune system.

Make the most of burning more energy with the colder weather slightly increasing our basal metabolism to maintain our body's warmth. The alternative, becoming more inactive and having more opportunities to consume energy can be detrimental to your health and wellbeing.

Tips for exercising in the cold:

1. Invest in some clothing that is warm, lightweight, breathable, easy to move in, windproof and waterproof if you are keen to exercise in all conditions. Feel comfortable and make the weather no excuse.
2. Rug up and wear suitable layers that you can take off easily and carry once you've warmed up. Remember to cover up extremities with a beanie, gloves and/or wear a face mask. We lose a lot of heat through our head, and our extremities feel the cold first. A facemask can assist warming the cool air before it enters your body.
3. Bring a change of clothes so you can stay warm after a workout. Sweaty clothes become damp, cold and uncomfortable once you've cooled down.
4. Warm up adequately, start slowly and build up into greater intensity. In colder climates our joints start off in a colder baseline. Keep static stretching for a well warmed up body.
5. Remember to hydrate. Sometimes in the colder weather this can be forgotten as we don't feel as thirsty however we are still losing fluid with exercise.
6. Making your exercise social can assist with motivation and gaining other benefits so organize to exercise with some friends or in a group exercise class.
7. Sticking to a routine with your exercise and being prepared for all weather conditions using the above tips will ensure it you can continue to enjoy the many benefits that exercise has to offer throughout the entire year.

Our Exercise Physiologists can assist you with a training program for winter and help keep you motivated. Call us on 9783 9990 or book online.