Tips for Outdoor Training in Winter

Isabel del Barrio 4 min. of reading Running Leave a comment

When winter arrives, athletes who train outdoors suffer from lower temperatures, fewer hours of daylight, and a higher likelihood of rain and cold.

It’s a time when, if your immune system is weak, the chances of falling ill increase dramatically.

In this article, we share some essential tips for outdoors training in winter to reduce the risk of injury or illness.

Index

1 It’s better to train during the day
2 Dress in layers
3 Spend more time warming up
4 Breathe through your nose
5 Keep well hydrated
6 Strengthen your defences with immune system supplements

It’s better to train during the day

Plan your workout for the morning or midday whenever possible. This is the warmest time of day and the best time to stimulate vitamin D production.

During the winter, many people suffer from vitamin D deficiency, which is important for bones and joints, as well as to lift their spirits.

To avoid vitamin D deficiency, there are dietary supplements out there that provide the perfect dose to help you achieve optimal vitamin D levels for your outdoor training.

Dress in layers

It’s better to remove layers than to wear a single layer that you may not need when your body has adapted to the cold:

Thin, close-fitting layer that can expel sweat.
Thicker layer that can pick up sweat and that you can remove once your body gets warm.
Lightweight windbreaker layer in case of wind or rain.

As it gets dark earlier in the winter, it’s best to wear reflective clothing to be more visible to cars, bikes and other vehicles.

Remember, always keep your head, hands and neck protected.

Avoid compression garments, as they’ll make circulation difficult, which we need to be good for blood and oxygen to reach all parts of the body.

Spend more time warming up

At low temperatures, the body needs a little more time to warm up and progressively increase blood supply to all muscle groups, especially the peripheral ones.

The body and limbs can be stiffer and affect movement and the nervous system, so increasing the warm-up time will help to progressively bring the body temperature to a suitable level for training.

Also note that, as the muscle and nervous system take some time to adapt, the risk of injury can increase.

Breathe through your nose

The nasal passages are affected by low temperatures and, due to the cold air, this vasoconstriction causes them to close a little and you may have the sensation of not breathing properly.

Start warming up with your mouth covered.

Try, progressively, to keep breathing through your nose, because this way the nostrils will warm and humidify the air that comes to your lungs.

If you inhale and exhale through your mouth, the coldest air will reach your respiratory system, there will be greater irritation of the throat, and with it many of the season’s illnesses.

Keep well hydrated

Although you might not feel dehydrated, the body increases sweating levels as a thermoregulatory mechanism.

Meaning we need to maintain optimal hydration levels to avoid losing too much sodium and end the workout with high levels of dehydration.

Evolytes by SportSeries.

Strengthen your defences with immune system supplements

A good nutritional diet also helps the body respond better to cold exposure, as well as keeping the immune system strong to respond to any possible illness caused by poor adaptation to cold.

Introducing seasonal products into the daily diet, as well as some nutritional supplements to boost the immune system, will reduce a possible drop in our defences.

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