The first frost of this season has been predicted, but that is no excuse not to exercise outside. A winter workout is actually super effective.
Efficient winter workout
Summer the best time to exercise? No, winter is the season for outdoor athletes. Because the longer you run or the harder the boot camp training is, the colder it has to be outside to lose your body heat.
When you run, your body temperature rises and your body loses this heat through sweating. Sports physiologist Angela Hillman tells Shape:“The cooler your environment is, the more heat your body can lose. And that in turn benefits your sports performance.” A French study into finish times of female marathon runners even shows that runners perform best at a temperature of 6.8 °C.
Prepare While a lower temperature is good for your sports performance, the cold also makes your muscles have to work harder to produce energy. This can make your muscles tired faster. So make sure you are well prepared:dress smartly, spend enough time warming up and watch out for snow.
The right clothing is important There is no such thing as bad weather, but bad clothes are, is a Scandinavian saying. Especially in winter, the right sportswear is important for a comfortable workout. Yes, the first laps are cold anyway, but you quickly run warm. Personal trainer Cally Yang explains:"In the winter you often dress much warmer than necessary and that works against you during your training." It is therefore important that you wear several layers, so that you can take something off if you want to.
You choose this outfit when it's cold
Start with a base layer, which will keep you dry. Choose a sports bra that offers sufficient support and put on a sports shirt made of quick-drying fabric. Avoid cotton, this absorbs hardly any sweat and therefore keeps you very wet.
Is it very cold? Then you can add a second layer. For example, go for a cardigan made of fleece or wool. These fabrics insulate you from the cold outside air and absorb body moisture quite well. Make sure that this layer is not too tight, there must be some space between the first and second layer for good insulation.
The outer layer protects you from the weather. Put on a hooded windbreaker. This way you are protected against the fresh wind or that unexpected rain shower. Tip:go for a jacket with reflective accents, so that you can also be seen in traffic at dusk. You can also wear separate reflective bands.
How many layers do you wear?
Do you find it difficult to decide which clothes to wear? With this schedule you determine which clothing suits the temperature.
Text:Mara Ruijter | Image:Shutterstock
