How to train in winter

Training in winter

It's here! We're not talking about St. Nicholas or Father Christmas, but about another visitor who may soon (we hope) don a thick white coat. Winter and its procession of snowflakes, frost, and other icy showers have the annoying habit of making us stay by the fire.

But here's the thing... Giving in to this temptation by stopping training means, as we know, jeopardizing the spring recovery and risking major frustrations once the good weather returns.

Because winter training not only helps you maintain your fitness level, but also has many benefits. It allows you to burn more calories despite the fat accumulation in winter and is a boost for the immune system. It also makes you mentally stronger and helps overcome the blues associated with short winter days.

So, we might as well take the bull by the horns and prepare for suitable training during the cold weather, so that we can set off again better equipped when the conditions return to good weather.

Interior – exterior

Running coach Catherine Lallemand, a Belgian long-distance runner who won the European mountain running championship in 2003, is happy to offer advice. Regarding winter training, she recommends first warming up indoors to gradually increase body temperature, mobilize joints and activate muscles before training.

When continuing the program outdoors, before starting, it is ideal to be able to take into account the wind direction. If possible, we will set off with the wind in our face to maintain a favorable wind for the return journey.

3 layers

It is also important to adopt suitable clothing that will allow you to run both dry and warm: thanks to the technical characteristics of current equipment, this is now entirely feasible... Moov360 would not disagree.

For this, the ideal is the multi-layer or "onion technique", which involves 3 superimposed layers: for the first, we will choose a close-fitting and breathable garment to wick away perspiration, the second will be insulating to keep you warm and the third, thin, will be the protective windproof and/or waterproof layer (to be worn depending on the weather of the day and preferably in case of strong wind or rain).

In snowy conditions, when the sun is out, keep in mind that it can be easy to get hot. Lightweight clothing is recommended. Furthermore, the glare can be strong... it's best not to forget your sunglasses.

It's also important to consider your extremities and sensitive areas: head, hands, neck, feet, and ankles. In particular, it's essential to always protect your Achilles tendons because when it's cold, the risk of injury increases: muscles lose their flexibility and strength. As for joints, ligaments, and tendons, they lose mobility and elasticity.

The choice of shoes is also essential: you will need to choose them according to the weather conditions and the terrain.

Adapted effort

The intensity of the effort will also depend on the weather conditions. In very cold temperatures, if you don't want to opt for indoor training, it's better to reduce the duration and intensity of the effort.

You also need to adjust your pace to the nature of the ground: while you can enjoy running in the snow, the exercise is more challenging. And if it's slippery, you'll need to be extra careful, not only to avoid falls, but also because the body is under greater strain as it continually has to reestablish balance and stabilize itself.

If conditions are too risky, opting for a treadmill workout may be a good solution.

Breathe well

When temperatures are below zero, wheezing (bronchospasm) may occur during exercise. This is because the air being inhaled is so cold that it does not have time to warm up completely when inhaled. To limit this phenomenon, it is best to breathe in through the nose (the air will have a better chance of warming up) and breathe out through the mouth .

Now, naturally, during exercise, we inhale and exhale through both our nose and our mouth. In these moments, it's difficult to force ourselves to inhale only through our nose... The best thing to do is to equip ourselves with a neck warmer that can protect the mouth and nose if necessary, act as a barrier to the cold and thus protect the bronchi from excessively icy air.

It is also important to remember that breathing in cold air accelerates dehydration. Therefore, fluid intake should never be neglected, as it also prevents injuries.