Winter is here! If you are planning to take your workouts outdoors, take a moment to prepare to enjoy your activity safely with these 5 tips.
- Perform a dynamic warm up
Stretching is not a warm up. Think back to school physical education classes. How did you begin the class? If your class warm up included neck circles, arm circles, jogging, and jumping jacks, you are already familiar with dynamic warm ups. Dynamic warm ups gradually increase your heart rate and ease of movement for your joints and muscles. Set aside 5-10 minutes pre-workout for your warm up. Begin by moving each body region through its range of motion; start small, then increase the size and speed of the motion. Here’s a sample dynamic warm up. Perform each movement 10 times:
- Neck: Circles
- Shoulders: Arm circles
- Arms and upper back: Torso rotations
- Low back: Sidebends, reaching overhead
- Lower body: Air squats and multi-directional lunges
- Total body heart rate elevation: Light jogging, shuffling, carioca, and burpees
2. Layer clothing
While it is tempting to dress in a complete snowsuit, be sure to layer it on. As you warm up, your core temperature elevates too. If you begin sweating, your clothes will get chilly. Dress in layers so you can shed layers as you warm up, then add them back as you cool down. This helps prevent heat illness, dehydration, and hypothermia.
3. Stay hydrated
Just 2% dehydration impairs performance, as muscles will not stretch or contract as easily. This increases the risk for muscle strains, ligament sprains, and even fractures. In cold weather, we often forget to hydrate. Drink at least one sip of water for every 15 minutes of activity. If you are participating in intense sport for greater than an hour, consider using beverages that include both fluids and electrolytes.
4. Cool down
The most overlooked opportunity for injury prevention is the cool down. Cool down brings your breathing, heart rate, muscles, and nervous system back into balance. Skipping cool down can lead to blood pooling in the legs, which can lead to a risk of passing out and falling. An easy way to get started with designing your own cool down is to repeat your dynamic warm up with two key differences:
- Instead of working from small to large motion, work from large total body motion to more isolated, smaller joint motions.
- Work from faster motions to slower motions, focusing on bringing your heart rate down.
The end of your cool time presents an excellent time for static stretching or yoga sequences to work on your mobility and flexibility.
5. Start small
Your body needs time to adapt to new environments, especially if you are trying new activities like a winter ski trip or marathon. Start with 15-20 minutes of cold weather conditioning 3x/week to allow your muscles and bones time to recover. If you are planning a ski or hiking trip, train for it as you would train for a sport: Create a plan and gradually work up toward the desired durations and intensities in the 1-3 months prior to the event.
What questions do you have about outdoor fitness, warm ups, or cool downs? Post in the Fitness Focus Fuel Facebook Page, or DM me on IG @dr.meredithbutulis
Let’s have a wonderful new year together!
