Ah, the winter! The beautiful season, when all nature goes quieter and slower, everybody joins together around the fireside… and gets tempted to let it go from the diet and exercise routine. Rest assured, you are not alone in that: we all need that extra motivation to face the winter workout at this time of the year.
After all, if even the mighty bear goes a little lazy during this season, it’s only expected that you’ll be hesitant about getting out of bed early to hit the gym, when it’s 40ºF outside.
But, while you should definitely take this time to relax and enjoy yourself, it’s still possible to keep up with training – even if at a slower gear. It’s important to respect your body’s rhythm. But remember, even our friend bear gets… frustrated after spending all this time hibernating.
So, here’s two things to consider: first, if you spent all this year working hard towards a healthier lifestyle, there’s no reason for you to go Frozen now! And second, winter is a particularly nice season for maximizing your workout results. But minding some special cares.
In this article, we’ll talk about the benefits of winter training and about those cautions you need to take in order to preserve your health. You’ll also find some tips to get that extra motivation we’ve talked about.
So, get your scarf and let’s ice dive!
The benefits of winter training
During this season, your whole organism is working towards a singular goal: survive the winter. While we’ve traveled a long way since the Stone Ages in terms of heating systems, our bodies are still to figure that out.
That’s why, at this time of the year, we intuitively increase our calorie consumption: our organism is burning calories like a forge to keep everything warm and functional, despite the low temperature. On the other hand… if you’re looking to lose weight, it’s a great opportunity to put all this accelerated metabolism to work on your behalf.
With a good warm-up session, you’ll find out that your workout performance will also improve during winter. Like we’ve said before, your organism is working full steam, which improves your muscle resistance and growth and elevates your heart capacity.
Beyond all that, winter training will get rid of all the annoying sweat, making everything a little more comfortable. If that’s not reason enough, check that out! A study published by Essex University points that the combinations of low temperatures and exercise increase your leukocytes and granulocytes – you know… the guys responsible for keeping your immune system up and running.
But… moderation is the key. If the sport of your choice is highly demanding, you should avoid prolonged exposure to excessively low temperatures. Not usually the cenario at Lake Jackson, but… it never hurts to be careful.
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Things to watch out while training during winter
By the way, while winter workout has many benefits, this season also demands some extra care. After all, this increased metabolism wasn’t made for nothing.
During this season, especially when out in the open, our bodies experience something called vasoconstriction, with our blood having a little more trouble circulating and making it harder for our organs to receive oxygen. While people with heart conditions must be extra, extra careful about exercising during winter, we all need to take precautions.
Have you noticed that every time it’s cold and we bump into something, we feel a disproportionate amount of pain? That’s vasoconstriction doing its nasty work. And that’s why you’re more likely to get injured while training during this season.
So, for safely exercising during winter, you must:
- Always drink something warm before heading out to training ;
- Make your warm-up session at least 20 minutes;
- After the general warm-up, remember to make a specific one, directed to the muscles that will be more demanded during your exercise;
- Before running, walk for 10 minutes;
- Prefere shoes and clothes made with natural materials, for better absorption of sweat;
- Even if you’re not feeling particularly thirsty, remember to hydrate yourself constantly;
- Change humid clothes right away;
- Always warm yourself after training;
Plus, if you suffer from respiratory diseases, like asthma or bronchitis, avoid training out in the open.
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And remember: School of Jiu Jitsu doors and mats are always open. Warm-ups are mandatory and – besides the human warmth – our heating system is pretty darn good. We have spots available for the whole season, so check this website and schedule your free trial class!