Adapting Your Training To Colder Weather Cold weather training presents different challenges than hot weather training. The body loses heat quickly through convective heat transfer from your skin, and it becomes difficult to maintain the temperature of your internal organs. You may feel sluggish and demotivated to train during cold weather, but below are some tips you can use when training during winter. Stay Hydrated Hydration levels impacts on your performance both mentally and physically. However, during winter, you may not feel thirsty as you usually do during summer exercises. You may tend to go for longer training hours without water, not realizing that your body loses a lot of fluids when you breathe cold, dry air. Additionally, in winter, you may not sweat a lot because sweat turns into vapor, and it does not appear directly to your skin.
Keep in mind that your body’s need for water is the same all year round. To stay hydrated during cold weather, drink plenty of warm water and warm noncaffeinated drinks. Stay away from drinks such as alcohol, hot caffeinated drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks, and carbonated drinks because they will dehydrate your body. Warm-Up Before Starting Your Exercise A warm-up helps in improving performance and reducing the risk of injury. The main reason for warming up is to elevate your core temperature, which is difficult to maintain in cold weather. The warm-up creates energy for your training by circulating blood, delivering oxygen to the body cells, and producing energy in the form of ATP for your upcoming exercise. It also prepares you physically and mentally, especially through the physical movements and music that stimulate your body. 35
