Source: wikiHow
Co-authored by wikiHow Staff |19 References
When it starts getting cold during the winter months, you may feel less inclined to venture outdoors. However, staying cooped up indoors all winter isn’t good for your health, and can leave you at greater risk for winter ailments such as colds and flu.
To exercise outdoors in winter weather, keep yourself warm and protected from the elements. You might even find a particular winter activity, such as skiing or ice skating, that you enjoy so much it hardly feels like working out.- 1 Try skiing or snowboarding. Skiing and snowboarding are traditional cold weather sports that also give you a good cardiovascular workout. If you’re new to the sports, recognize that they require a significant investment of time and money to get started.[1]
- If you live in a mountainous area, you may be able to find a slope that offers lessons for beginners and equipment rentals that are relatively reasonable – especially if you go early in the season (typically October). This can be a good way to try out the sport and see if you enjoy it before investing too much money.
- If the slopes are a little too intimidating for you, cross-country skiing may be more your speed. Cross-country skiing is a whole-body workout that gets your chest, arms, and legs moving in tandem.
- 2 Go ice skating. Ice skating is a low-impact aerobic exercise that can greatly increase your balance and coordination. It works out many smaller stabilizer muscles, which can improve your performance in other activities, such as running or yoga.[3]
- If you’re just starting out, you may want to take some lessons first so you can get everything down and learn to skate with good form. You typically can find an hour-long class that meets once a week for six to eight weeks for less than $100.
- You may want to wear a helmet to start – many instructors require them. You can use a hockey helmet, or a skiing or snowboarding helmet.
- Wear warm, light layers that give you plenty of mobility. Avoid jeans, as they can become stiff and decrease your mobility. Additionally, jeans can get wet when you fall (which you will, when you’re just starting out), making you colder and increasing your risk of hypothermia.
- 3 Pick up snowshoeing. Snowshoeing is a cross between walking, hiking, and nature viewing for the winter. It’s hard work, especially when you’re a beginner, but it gets easier with practice. It’s highly rewarding and it definitely keeps you fit. [4]
- As an added benefit, you often snowshoe in areas where winter wildlife can be spotted, making this an excellent opportunity for nature lovers to take photos or even draw quick sketches.
- Snowshoeing is easy to learn – if you can walk, you can snowshoe – and requires minimal equipment. All you need are a good pair of snowshoes, which you can find at most sporting goods or winter sports specialty stores, especially in more northern areas.
- You also may want to use poles to balance as you walk. The type of poles doesn’t matter, as long as they have the proper length for you to use them when you walk.
- Take a break after about 10 minutes to do some squats and lunges to stretch your muscles and decrease stiffness later.
- 4 Play in the snow. Kids know how to get lots of exercise when there’s snow on the ground, sledding, making snow angels, and even having a snowball fight can get your blood pumping. You don’t have to be a little kid to participate in these kinds of activities and have a lot of fun.[5]
- Making snow angels may not seem like exercise, but they’re really just horizontal jumping jacks.
- A snowball fight works your chest, back and arms (throwing) as well as your lower body (dodging and running).
- Sledding is a great way to get a good workout, because once you get to the bottom of the hill you have to run back up again. Think of it as interval training with a fun slide. You can even use your arms and upper body to steer your sled.
- 5 Build an igloo or snow fort. If you’re planning on going out with friends or family, building an ice structure can be a real team-building experience as well as a good workout. When you’re done, you can curl up together with a mug of hot cocoa in your new ice and snow retreat.[6]
- Search online for plans to build an igloo, or wing it with your own snow fort. You can build a snow fort the same way you would build a sandcastle at the beach – you can even use some of the same tools.
- If an igloo or a fort seem a little over-the-top to you (or you don’t have that much snow and ice available), you can always make a snowman. Rolling and packing the snow to build the snowman are pretty good exercise, and you also get the opportunity to use your creativity with decorations.
- 6 Walk or run. If you got into the habit of a daily afternoon walk or a morning jog when the weather was warm, there’s no reason to stop it just because it turned colder. You just have to take a few extra precautions to make sure that you stay safe and warm.[7]
- If there’s likely to be ice and snow, invest in a pair of winter or all-terrain running shoes that have plenty of tread. A clerk at a sporting goods store or running specialty shop near you should be able to help you find something that will work for you.
- Due to the risk of falls, you should avoid going walking or running if there’s a significant amount of ice on the ground.
- Dress in layers, and wear reflective clothing if you’re going to be out after dark. Keep in mind that the sun sets earlier during the winter months.
- 1 Wear layers. When you exercise, you generate a lot of heat. If you dress too warmly, you can get overheated – even in frigid outside temperatures. Wearing several layers of clothing allows you to remove clothing as your exercise intensifies.[8]
- Start with a thin layer of clothing made from a synthetic material. This will draw the sweat away from your body. Look for a long-sleeved garment for your upper body and some leggings for your lower body.
- A layer of fleece over that layer provides insulation and protection against the outdoor temperatures. Keep in mind that if you’re a relatively thin person, you may need additional layers of insulation.
- Your top layer should be waterproof and wind-resistant. You often can find dual-layer winter jackets meant for winter sports such…
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