Learn how to exercise during the winter to maximize your immunity and develop your body. Many people choose running from all the sports available. However, with the onset of winter, most of them prefer to hang their sneakers on a nail. We are not trying to condemn them, because the frosty weather outside the window is not very conducive to jogging. It is much more pleasant to do this in sunny weather.
It should be admitted that physical education in the winter outdoors is significantly different from sports in the summer. Of course, this does not concern the technical side of running, but the weather conditions. In addition to being cold outside, be aware of possible slippery surfaces.
Of course, physical education on the street in winter is not suitable for everyone. It seems that doctors do not recommend the girl to practice outside in situations when the temperature drops below 15 degrees. In this situation, the best option would be to train indoors on cardio machines. For men, winter jogging can be a way to increase the endurance of various body systems.
In order to decide for yourself whether it is necessary to engage in physical education in the winter on the street, in particular jogging, it is necessary to consider all the advantages and disadvantages of such training. Let's start with the factors that can complicate your run:
- Weather conditions - wind, frost and snowdrifts.
- Illness - It is very easy to get sick in low temperatures.
- Risk of injury - the grip of the shoe on the road surface is poor.
- Large amounts of clothing - Large amounts of clothing must be used to withstand cold temperatures.
- Low solar activity - the duration of the day is short and the sun is not active enough.
- Low concentration of endorphins - in winter, the body synthesizes significantly less endorphin hormones.
- Low desire to exercise - In winter, due to low solar activity, the desire to exercise decreases.
- Lack of company - in the winter it is much more difficult to find those who want to make a joint run.
However, outdoor exercise in winter also has its advantages:
- The body hardens perfectly - you quickly adapt to low temperatures, and in the future you will be able to tolerate them better.
- The activity of the immune system increases - the immune system adapts to winter jogging, the ability of which to fight various diseases is enhanced.
- Increases endurance - the need to use heavy clothing contributes to the growth of endurance.
- The functioning of the respiratory system is improved - again thanks to the large amount of clothing and frosty air, the functional capacity of the respiratory tract is increased.
- Cardiac muscle training - accelerates blood flow.
- The quality of the blood composition improves - cold air promotes blood liquefaction and this, in turn, reduces the risks of blockage of blood vessels. It should also be remembered to improve ventilation of the lungs.
- A feeling of cheerfulness appears - after doing physical education in the winter on the street, you will feel cheerful for a long time.
Here are the main advantages and disadvantages of outdoor sports during winter. Although now we talked about running, all of the above is true for most sports.
How to organize outdoor jogging in winter?
In order for physical education classes on the street in winter to be as effective as possible, it is necessary to adhere to several rules.
- Jogging route. Before starting a lesson, you should plan your race route in advance. To do this, you can walk along the possible route a day before the planned workout. Pay attention to the terrain, the presence of well-trodden paths, and the estimated duration of the race.
- Air temperature. It is up to you to decide on the advisability of training outdoors, depending on the temperature. We have already noted that girls are not recommended to run if the air temperature has dropped below 15 degrees below zero. Men often transfer training indoors when the temperature outside is 20-15 degrees below zero. First of all, you should use common sense when making a decision.
- Warm up. You should remember that muscles are more vulnerable to injury in winter than in summer. It is more obvious that they are in a "cold" state before the start of training. To reduce the risk of injury, you need to knead them properly. Do a five-minute joint warm-up before starting outdoor exercise in the winter.
- Equipment for outdoor sports in winter. We will make a separate article on this topic, but a few words still need to be said now. It is very important to choose the right equipment for outdoor exercise in winter. Today in sporting goods stores you can buy special clothing that is designed for training in such conditions. It is much more efficient and more comfortable than regular sweaters and sweaters that you would have to wear. It is very important to protect all vented parts of the body, such as the head and arms. Thermal underwear and spiked shoes are optimal clothing for winter jogging. Also, when choosing clothes, it should be remembered that while running, the body temperature increases by an average of ten degrees. Thus, if outside the window minus 15, then dress as if the frost is only minus 5. You will not stand in one place, but actively move.
- Training intensity and duration. Do not use high-intensity jogging right away, and this is especially true for people who have not previously been involved in physical activity outside in the winter. Schedule your workouts, gradually increasing the duration and intensity. We recommend starting with a couple of workouts throughout the week with a duration of five minutes. Gradually increase the load, but do not stay in the cold for more than 40 minutes. If we talk about the intensity of running, it largely depends on your level of training, but still it is worth focusing on light jogging. This will allow you to breathe through your nose so you don't catch a cold.
- Music. Of course, the player is not an obligatory attribute, but cheerful music during a run will definitely not be superfluous. It should also be said that your music device doesn't have to be heavy.
- How to end classes. We recommend finishing your workout near your home or another warm room. When you are at home, immediately take off your sports clothes and dry them. In addition, you should take a warm shower and drink about half a liter of water. A full meal should take place no earlier than 60 minutes after the end of the workout. Before that, you can drink freshly squeezed juice or eat fruit.
How to do street workout in winter?
Today, workout is becoming more and more popular and often athletes continue to train in winter. Now we will try to tell you how best to organize such training. For many athletes, outdoor activities, even at minus 20, are more enjoyable compared to the summer period. As we already said, the advantages and disadvantages of playing sports in the winter outdoors are approximately the same for all disciplines and we will not repeat ourselves, talking about them again. Let's better talk about the rules for organizing workout training in the winter.
- Avoid overheating. The main mistake of most novice athletes when doing physical education outdoors in winter is to overestimate the cold. As a result, they use a lot of clothes, as if they were just going to walk in the cold. This leads to severe overheating of the body, and training quickly becomes uncomfortable.
- Use layered clothing. Each layer of clothing must do its own thing. The bottom layer is thermal underwear, which perfectly wicks sweat away from the skin. Instead of sweaters and pants, it is better to use overalls to protect the body from the wind.
- Do not use cotton clothing. Today it is common to see advertisements for special clothing made of cotton for outdoor sports in winter. By and large, you can use it if finances allow it. The cost of such clothing is quite high and you can easily use synthetic clothing. However, choose one that does not absorb moisture and dries quickly.
- Protect your head. Particular attention should be paid to exposed parts of the body. When your workout is to be done in cold weather with strong winds, protect your limbs and head. Remember, no matter how intense your workout is, your nose and ears can get frostbite in severe frost. If it is severe frost outside, then you should use a special mask.
- Training intensity. You must remember that the body spends much more energy in the cold than in the warm season. If you have a lean physique, then in certain situations it makes sense to reduce the load. When you rest between sets, never stand in one place. In order not to overcool the body, walk and wave your hands.
Be careful if it is icy on the street. This is extremely dangerous as falling onto a hard surface could result in serious injury. Be careful during warm-up runs, lunges, and jumping off the bar. Let us remind you again that you only need to breathe through your nose.
In the next video, you can learn more about the extreme winter workout:
