Tips For Winter workouts

It's just round the corner, the air is getting crisper and sharper, and the nip just isn't in the bud! Winter is in the air and whether you like the cold or not, here are a few tips to help you modify your exercise routine to your advantage.

Keeping warm while exercising

The most important concern with exercising in the cold is hypothermia, or too much heat loss. Therefore, the primary factor to consider should be: preventing heat loss during exercise. Heat loss is affected by insulation within the body (the amount of fat), clothing and environmental factors such as temperature, wind, whether you're exercising in the air or in water. Each of these factors plays a role in the body's ability to maintain a comfortable temperature during exercise.

Although many people aspire to have a lean figure, people with a little more body fat are better insulated and will lose less heat. Clothing adds to the insulation barrier and is clearly the most important element in performance and comfort while exercising in the cold. One study showed that heat loss from the head alone was about 50 per cent at the freezing mark, and by simply wearing a helmet, subjects were able to stay outside indefinitely.

Clothing is generally a good insulator because it has the ability to trap air, a poor conductor of heat. If the air trapped by the clothing cannot conduct the heat away from the body, temperature will be maintained. Unlike air, water is a rapid conductor of heat. Even in the coldest of temperatures, people will sweat and risk significant heat loss. With this in mind you should choose clothing that can trap air but allow sweat to pass through. By wearing clothing in layers, you have the ability to change the amount of insulation that is needed. Many new products can provide such a layered barrier; however, it is important to avoid heavy cotton sweats or tightly woven material that will absorb and maintain water. These materials cannot provide a layer of dry air near the skin.

Keeping the hands and feet warm is a common concern when exercising in the cold. Lower temperatures cause blood to be shunted away from the hands and feet to the center of the body to keep the internal organs warm and protected. Superficial warming of the hands will return blood flow to prevent tissue damage. Blood flow will not return to the feet unless the temperature of the torso is normal or slightly higher (.5-1.0° F above normal). So, to keep your feet warm you must also keep the rest of your body warm at all times.

Gear

While exercising during winter, you need to pay attention to what you wear.

Wear a cap to prevent dissipation of heat, most of which escapes through the headThe closest layer in the body should be cotton to absorb the sweat.
Wearing socks will also absorb sweat and prevent sores from occurring.
Preparation


Warm up adequately to avoid muscle cramps, strains and sprains, and gasping for oxygen. Warm-ups in the winter take slightly longer than usual.
Moisturize your body adequately to keep it from getting scaly
If you are fair-skinned, applying sun block will help the skin from getting burnt even in the winter sun.
Make sure you hydrate yourself well. The cooler air may not make you feel thirsty and that can be dangerous. Drinking 6-10 glasses of water ensures easy flow of oxygenated blood to the working muscles. And if you're thinking that a no-sweat workout is of no use, banish the thought immediately. Sweating is not connected to how many calories you burn. It will indicate that the fluids in your body need replenishing. Adding a pinch of salt to the water will replace the lost salts.


Caution
Winters also brings with it smog and pollution and thus those with breathing problems need to stay away from the early morning and late evening smog and pollution. Because the air is heavier, the pollutants stay in the air, making it difficult to reach very high exercise intensities for this population.

If you are a die-hard swimmer, there is no need for you to be in low spirits. There is hope in the form of alternate aerobic workouts that may not be as refreshing but serve the purpose, nonetheless. Joining an aerobic class or run in an indoor stadium may help get your adrenaline fix. Then splash yourself in a hot shower to get that wet feeling that can be quite invigorating!

If getting up early to exercise is not your cup of tea, change your schedule to an alternate time. Use the morning to catch up on the reading that has been piling up. If you are exercising indoors, make sure the room is ventilated and airy. This will save you from feeling giddy. An occasional fan may be wise to leave on to help circulating the air.

Summer or winter, don't allow the weather to get in the way of your exercise or else you will be the only loser. Keep the above-mentioned guidelines in mind and sprint away.