Workouts That Weather Well

Now that the cool (see also: Cold) weather is ascending upon us and it’s not getting warmer anytime soon, we’re all in need of some tactics to keep the hibernation pounds at bay. Just because it moving towards freezing outside doesn’t mean your workouts have to freeze too. Here’s your fall survival guide to keeping your fitness level at its best!

Bring it Indoors
If the cold temps and dark mornings deter you from getting to the gym in the AM, keep a back-up workout DVD on-hand so you have no excuse not to workout. A great resource to check out for hundreds of DVDs to choose from is collagevideo.com. Or, if you find yourself at the gym as usual but sick of the tired gym class and routine, try these exercises to mix up your treadmill workout:

Treadmill Routine Shake-Up: Perform a set of these exercises after every 5 minutes of running or walking on the treadmill.

Plank Walks: Set a treadmill at 0.5 mph (or faster if you’re advanced) and stand a few feet back from the end of it. Get into plank position with your hands on both sides of the treadmill belt (the unmoving base boards). Make sure your back is straight, your hips are down and your shoulders are over your wrists. Carefully put your hands on the moving belt and walk them up as the belt moves down. Stay here for 1 minute!

Side Hops: Get on the treadmill and turn to your side so your right hip is next to the front of the treadmill. Choose a slow speed to start with (you can speed it up as you get used to this exercise). As the belt begins to move, let your right foot do all the work by “hopping” up the belt to keep yourself in place. Your left leg will follow naturally. Do this for one minute, then repeat on the other side for one minute.

Backwards Walk: Exactly what it implies – Stand backwards on a treadmill with a slow speed to start. As you get more comfortable, increase the speed to a challenging pace (but not one that’s so fast you’ll fall on your butt). Stay here for as long as you can, then stop the treadmill, turn back around to face front and continue on.

Moving Squat Jumps: Stand on the treadmill facing front, turn the speed on slow. Sink down into a squat position until the belt takes you toward the bottom of the machine, then jump and land with both feet into another squat position. Repeat for 30 seconds.

Crossover Planks: Turn the treadmill on low speed again (about 0.5 mph to start with), stand off of it and to the right side. Get into plank position so your body is perpendicular to the machine. With your hands on the moving belt, cross your left hand over your right hand and follow up by quickly moving your right hand back toward the front of the treadmill as the belt does its thing. This is a crossover plank. Repeat for 30 seconds and then move to the other side of the treadmill to lead with your left hand.

Stay Cozy Outdoors
Just because it’s colder outside doesn’t mean you have to give up your run in the foothills or your bike ride to Lucky Peak. Just arm yourself with the proper attire. Here are some recommendations:

Layer Up: Believe it or not, most people make the mistake of dressing too warmly for their cold weather workouts. As your body heats up from your activity level, you’ll eventually feel as though it’s about 10 degrees warmer outside than it really is. So dress that way. If it’s 40 degrees outside, dress for 50 instead. You may be chilly for the initial five minutes but trust me; you’ll appreciate the tip after about a half mile.

Protect Extremities: 30 to 40 percent of your body heat is lost through your head, so be sure to wear a headband or hat. Also, wear gloves – whether you prefer thin or bulky it doesn’t really matter, although thin gloves work best since your hands will eventually begin to sweat, too. Also choose socks that wick sweat (steer clear of 100% cotton anything, as cotton keeps the sweat against your skin and cools you off further).

Run Into the Wind: At first, anyway. If you head into the wind first, you’ll benefit in the last half or your workout when you’ve turned around because you won’t have the head-wind cooling your sweaty bod down. Whether you’re biking, running, hiking, or just walking the dog, always keep this concept in mind.

Meet the Trainer

Crystal is a certified personal trainer through the National Sports and Conditioning Association (NSCA). She has a passion for helping others live a healthy lifestyle and coaching them to push their limits beyond what they think they are capable of.