We tell you how to run correctly in autumn and winter so as not to harm your body.
< p>Most runners train only from spring to early autumn, when sports competitions take place and the weather is quite warm and comfortable. Autumn and winter are considered the “off-season”; during this time, mainly professional athletes continue to train. With the onset of cold weather, many people stop training outside due to bad weather and the risk of hypothermia.
The benefits of jogging in the off-season
If you give up outdoor activities for the entire fall and winter, you'll get out of shape and have to start all over again in the spring. Since it takes several months to regain skills, the results of training will only be visible in the fall. If you continue to exercise during the off-season, you will stay in shape and can work on your weak areas so that you are ready for the start of the next running season.
Winter air contains thirty percent more oxygen than summer air. This is good for the cardiovascular and nervous system, and it will also be easier to breathe during sports.
To stay warm in the cold, your body burns more calories, so it burns fat faster. If you want to lose weight, a winter run will help you achieve results faster.
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1 Do a warm-up
A set of exercises before a run will help warm up your muscles, prepare your cardiovascular system and get you ready for the activity. It is better to warm up at home, in a warm room.
Exercises to warm up the muscles:
- Raise your arms above your head as you inhale and slowly lower them as you exhale. Repeat 10 times.
- Make circular rotations with your head, first clockwise, then in the opposite direction, ten times in each direction.
- Circular rotations with your shoulders, first back, then forward.
- Rotations forward 10 times, first with the right hand, then with the left hand. Repeat the same with a backward rotation.
- Rise up on the toes of both feet and slowly lower down. Do 10 repetitions.
- Rise up on the toe of one leg alternately at a fast pace.
- Circular rotations with your knees away from you, then towards yourself.
- Swing your legs to the right and left, forward and backward.
2 Dress for the weather
When choosing clothes and shoes, it is important to consider not the season, but the temperature and weather conditions. Since the body warms up more when playing sports, you should dress as if it were ten degrees warmer outside than the thermometer shows.
In cold weather, the asphalt freezes, the surface becomes harder and slipperier. Therefore, shoes should have a special textured rubberized sole so that you do not slip while running.
Sportswear should be layered to help retain heat and so you can remove the top layer if you get hot. There is a rule: you should wear one layer less clothing than if you were going for a walk.
- The first layer of clothing should be made of synthetics. Cotton instantly absorbs moisture, and if you run around in wet clothes, you can get sick. Synthetic thermal underwear is suitable, which allows you to maintain a comfortable temperature regime. If you don’t have a special set, you can wear leggings and long sleeves, the main thing is that they are made of artificial material.
- Second layer of clothingcan be insulated from fleece.
- The third layer is a windbreaker or light jacket.
Don’t forget about high socks or knee socks to protect your legs were warm.
It is better to choose gloves also from synthetic materials. If your hands get very cold in winter, choose mittens for more warmth.
To protect your neck, it is better to wear a snood or buff that will not come undone and will not interfere during exercise. For rainy or snowy weather, a balaclava is suitable, which will protect you from precipitation and wind.
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3 Don't forget about food and drinking regime
Eat an hour before training. If you run outside on an empty stomach, you will freeze faster.
In the cold season, you feel less thirsty than in summer, since moisture does not evaporate as intensely. But you can’t forget about drinking. You don't have to take a bottle of water with you so it doesn't get in the way, but have a hot drink at home after your workout. A hot meal after class will also help keep you warm.
4 Plan your route
It is important to calculate your strength in advance so that you can return home before you freeze. If you feel tired and it’s far from home, it’s better not to walk quickly, but to go warm up in a cafe or take a taxi. Staying in the cold with steam and wet clothes is dangerous, it’s so easy to get sick.
5 Watch your breathing
During outdoor activities, it is important to breathe through your nose. If you breathe through your mouth, the cold air does not have time to warm up and this can lead to a sore throat. If it gets cold, try to breathe through a balaclava.
Since it is more difficult to control your breathing in the cold, it is better not to run too fast so as not to become out of breath. A light jog at a moderate pace will be enough. This is better than if you get tired and have to stop or start to choke.
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6 If you are cold
If you feel cold during training, you need to try to warm up as soon as possible. Put on a hood, gloves or mittens, and fasten them tightly.
If you still have strength, increase your running speed, since more intense movements will help the body produce more heat.
Try to get to a warm room as quickly as possible – return home or to the car , go to a cafe or the subway.
7 After training
If you plan to train indoors after your run, take a spare set of clothes with you so that you can change into dry clothes as soon as you leave the street.
< p>When you return home, it is important to take off your wet clothes as quickly as possible. After this, take a warm shower. Do not set the water temperature very hot, because a sudden change in temperature is harmful to the cardiovascular system and will put extra strain on the heart. It is enough if the shower or bath is warm and warming.
When you have warmed up and changed into dry warm clothes, eat or drink something hot to warm up the body.