Get Your Workout Winter Ready

This article first published in the Scotsman Newspaper, Saturday 23 November 2024.
Full text can be found on the Scotsman website or below…

Brrr! It’s getting to hot chocolate and hibernation season. As the days get shorter it’s tempting to sloth on the sofa with Deliveroo and Netflix for company.

However, staying active over the winter months is important not only for your physical health, but also for your mental wellbeing. The trick is to adapt to the season, and hopefully these simple ideas will inspire you to get active over winter:

Try Weightlifting: it’s a little-known fact that lifting weights generates heat. If you live in a drafty tenement flat, instead of cranking up the central heating (expensive), learn a basic free weights routine. You’ll warm up in a jiffy and get stronger at the same time. Try it, it works. A qualified Personal Trainer can show you a safe and effective routine you can do from home and check your form. Some trainers even offer webcam workouts (including Griffen Fitness) so you can do PT from the comfort of your loungeroom.

Be Bendy: Another way to warm up is with a hot yoga class. Also known as Bikram yoga, this type of yoga is in a studio heated to 26 to 40 degrees C with low humidity, apparently to replicate an Indian environment. Class size and instructing style varies so try a few studios to find one you like.

Get Funky: Learn a new dance style or just have fun moving your body. Ceilidhs are a legitimate over-winter ‘exercise’. The best exercise is fun so you don’t notice you’re exerting yourself.

Take to the Water: Whether you are a cold water dipper or an indoor pool preferring lapper, swimming is excellent exercise. It’s especially good for those with leg injuries, or coming back from a knee or hip replacement. There are whole communities of outdoor swimmers, and the Looney Dook tradition on New Year’s Day nowadays well-attended by the masses.

The temptation is to stay indoors in the warm, however going out into the cold will warm you up. You may be chilly as you venture outside, but when you get back indoors you’ll feel relatively toasty and warm – no need to turn the heating up. Here are some tips for adapting running and cycling to winter conditions. For any outdoor exercise, tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back, and carry a fully-charged phone with you.

Cold Weather Running

Running in winter is a wonderful thing to do, as you’re warm on the inside and cold on the outside! The focus is on steady miles, rather than speedwork (save that for spring), so enjoy the scenery as you go. Preparation is key and here are some pointers to help you run through this winter:

• Wear reflective clothing, and an under layer that ‘wicks’ (that’s the term for fabric that draws moisture away from the body). Investing in some good running gear makes things much more comfortable. I like merino wool base layers (including socks). Some people feel the cold more than others, so experiment with what layers work for you.

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• How long have you had your trainers? Perhaps reward yourself with a new pair of running shoes as an incentive. You might consider waterproof Gore-Tex trainers if you are prone to cold feet. Be sure they have good grip, too.

• A small light (either head torch or keyring torch) can be handy for dark paths.

• If you run alone, be sure someone knows your route and e.t.a. Plan your route and chose one that you feel safe with.

• Warm up slowly to settle into a comfortable pace, and be sure to stretch somewhere warm afterwards. Always change out of your running clothes as soon as you get home to prevent your muscles seizing up.

• Refuel after your run. A long soak in the bath with Epsom salts and a good meal will make you feel a million dollars. You know you’re worth it.

• Keep on drinking water throughout the colder months - you still sweat under all those layers. Herbal teas, for example peppermint, are great in winter. A homemade hot chocolate will warm you up, and protein and carbs in milk are ideal refuel.

Cycling in Winter

-          Check the weather forecast, especially noting wind speed and direction. It’s good to be prepared. You may wish to choose your route according to the wind direction. A tailwind home is always good.

-          Layer up. Neoprene cycle-specific bib tights keep out the wind, however you can layer normal ‘active wear’. Wear tops with zips for ventilation as required.

-          Likewise, two pair of socks keep feet cosy, a base cotton sock, then wool on top.

-          Ensure you have adequate batteries in your lights.

-          If you get chapped skin, try a greasy barrier cream on your face, and pop some lip balm in your pocket.

-          Glasses (spectacles or sports glasses) can prevent your eyes from streaming in the cold.

-          You’ll probably find your nose running like a tap on really cold days. This is normal, and some cycling gloves have a flannel thumb which is handy (no pun intended) to wipe your nose on.

-          You may wish to use fatter tyres with more grip in icy conditions. Also let out some of the air in your tyres so they are squishier.

-          Remember to eat well before cycling, you will need extra energy in cold conditions.

-          Carry both slow burning (i.e. oatcakes, nuts / seeds) and fast-release (dried fruit, carb gels) snacks, perhaps more than you would for a summer jaunt.

-          I like hot Ribena in my drink bottle, it cools down pretty quick, and hydration is just as important in cold weather (you sweat under all those layers).

-          Change out of your soggy clothes as soon as you get home, have a hot chocolate and a nice long stretch to ease cold tight muscles (and for quicker recovery).

Having a new year’s goal to work towards is a great motivation when days are dark and cold. Do something doubly good and enter a 2025 event for a charity. You might not choose to run a marathon, but there’s oodles of choices from walking, cycling, swimming or even abseiling off a landmark. Contact your favourite charity and see if there’s an event you can enter to raise money on their behalf. A good example is the Cancer Research website that has a searchable database of national events https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/.

Elite athletes adapt their training programmes for the seasons, with winter often being a time when they focus on strength. Start small, or adapt what you’re currently doing to stay consistent and see real results. If you need a hand call in a professional!