Posted on October 30, 2014 by Kate Halsall
There’s no denying it – along with the darker nights comes colder weather. For some, this change in temperature pushes their training regime into the gym; for others, their training stops completely. As a personal trainer, I don’t think that these winter months should stop you from being physically active and actually, they also don’t need to drive you into the gym if you enjoy training outside. Training outside should be enjoyable no matter what the weather is! It’s about the type of training you do and what you wear for that training which will boost your workout experience. So here’s our top tips about what to wear when exercising outdoors in winter so you have no excuses!
1. Wrap up
It’s all about layering. But be warned…there is such a thing as too many layers, and the wrong type of layer. Basically, the more layers you wear, the more heat you can trap inside. But, you don’t want so many that your clothes weigh you down or you get too hot! You’ll sweat more, breathe heavier sooner and it will ruin your exercise experience. It’s about keeping your body and muscles warm.
a) Base Layer
This needs to draw sweat away from your body, so cotton is NOT a good idea! A technical t shirt or running top as a light weight base layer is ideal. Leggings which can be worn under your normal workout gear and so on. The material will help to draw moisture away from the skin and keep you dry.
b) Middle Layer
This is your insulation layer. It will keep you warm and if it’s not too baggy, will also help to further remove moisture away from you.
c) Outer Shell
This is your protection from wind and rain, but it still needs to be breathable to prevent a build up of moisture. So a lightweight jacket or legging with holes or zips under the arms or at the ankle are ideal.
2. Protect your hot spots
We lose heat through our head, hands and feet. So appropriate socks, gloves and hats are recommended. However, wearing hats and gloves is a very individual thing; and depending on the type of workout, possibly not even practical! For example, gloves during a bootcamp could get wet, muddy and be of little use as they make your hands colder than when you started; likewise a hat when running could make your head feel too hot. However surely it’s best to start your workout with these and remove them as appropriate rather than not wearing them at all!
3. Be seen
If you’re exercising outside at night, ensure that some of your clothing have reflective material on them so that you can be seen. Better to be safe than sorry! If you don’t like wearing reflective clothing you can get reflective straps which you can wrap around your wrists or ankles so you can still be seen!
For more helpful fashion advice, be sure to ask one of the Motive8 team for help!!
Further Reading:
http://www.fitnessbeans.com/2011/the-benefits-of-wearing-base-layers/
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/enviromentalissues/a/how_to_layer.htm
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/running-in-the-cold.aspx