The temperature is finally dropping, Daylight Saving Time has ended, and Christmas decorations are filling the local drug and retail stores. Short of joining a gym and running on the treadmill like a gerbil trapped in a cage, what is an avid exerciser to do?
If you like to snowshoe, cross-country ski, or just keep running in the cold weather, you should follow these steps to ensure safe outside exercise as the temperature plunges.
1) Drink Extra Fluids - Many different companies now make wearable hydration packs [i.e. - Camelbak, Fuelbelt, etc] that resemble small backpacks and contain a fluid reservoir as well as belts that have several small, bottles scattered around the exterior. This allows you to keep your hands free (to hold ski poles, if that’s what you do) and you can stay hydrated while exercising. They also give you a place to stash those extra clothes when you get warm.
Read the rest of this entry at our partner site: HesFit.com
Now that you’ve read Part I of TFS’s Winter 2006 Apparel Guide, it’s time to learn how to protect your upper body and create an outer-layer of protection.
The optimal upper-body base layer provides breathable protection against the cold, but is also light enough to fit under a potential outer-layer apparel.
One option, for both men and women, is Underarmour’s close-fitting and moisture-wicking “Cold Gear Long Sleeve Top” (Another of our Editor’s favorites - especially the mock-turtleneck). The “Cold Gear” product line is a solid choice to help you stay both warm and dry. Under Armour’s “Cold Gear” tights and compression shorts are also very effective products.
Now that the base layer has been covered (which could be sufficient in milder, winter weather), you need to focus on outerwear.
Read the rest of this entry »
The mere thought of facing brutally low temperatures, face-burning winds, rain, sleet, snow, and ice is probably enough to make most people decide against that winter run in favor of some eggnog in front of the fireplace.
However, winter running can be invigorating and really enjoyable as long as you use common sense and are properly suited with the right cold-weather running apparel.
While comfort is always a concern, you need to keep the focus on staying warm and protected from the elements. When the body is subjected to extremely low temperatures it loses heat quickly. Therefore, unprepared runners leave themselves at risk and vulnerable to hypothermia, windburn, frostbite and a winter full of injuries.
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It’s 6:30 am. You’ve motivated yourself to get up and run before work, but the thermometer outside reads a chilling 37 degrees (F). If you are among those brave souls who will trek outside for their run in the bitter cold, there are some very important things to consider.
According to the American Council on Exercise:
The major problems encountered when exercising in the cold are associated with an excessive loss of body heat, which can result in hypothermia or frostbite.
Here are some tips to help you better avoid those dangers and keep you healthy and fit throughout the winter: Read the rest of this entry »
Exercising in cold weather can cause chest pain in some people who have no problems when they exercise in warm weather. When cold wind blows on your face, your heart rate slows down. This decreases the blood flow to the heart and can cause pain in people with blocked coronary arteries.
The blood supply to your heart muscle comes from arteries on its outside surface. The blood that is pumped inside your heart’s chambers brings almost no oxygen to your heart muscle. If you have arteriosclerosis, the fatty plaques in your heart’s arteries restrict the flow of blood to your heart. Your heart has to pump rapidly to meet its needs for oxygen. A cold wind slows your heart, reducing the flow of blood. If the heart muscle is unable to get all the oxygen it needs, it starts to hurt. Read the rest of this entry »
With winter just around the corner
- treadmill sales are inevitably on the rise.
Although some “traditionalists” look down upon those runners who aren’t “tough enough” to run outside in freezing temperatures, treadmills can help runners’ stay safe and injury free.
Cold weather is extrinsically tied to ice, snow and other dangerous road & sidewalk conditions. In addition to these potential hazards, if it is so cold that icicles begin to form on your eye lashes - you significantly increase the possibility of pulling or even tearing a muscle.
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