6 Useful Tips For Cold Weather Workouts Outside

Exercising outside is one of the greatest options for conditioning your body as you have to endure the added challenges of the elements of nature. But as winter weather hits full swing, working out outdoors can become more of a challenge. While it is pretty safe to exercise freely in the warmer weather, it requires a little more preparation to work out when the air is frigid and chilly. Working out while it’s cold outside can be dangerous and cause mild physical reactions to some pretty severe consequences. If you are planning to exercise during this winter season, learn about these 6 useful tips for cold weather workouts outside.

Wear moisture reducing clothes

Have you ever exercised and got drenched in sweat, and felt totally miserable the entire time and after? Were you wearing mostly cotton materials? If the answer is yes to either of those questions, you were experiencing moisture’s natural tendency to remove heat from your body to the lower concentration of heat, which is the cold outside air. If you are working out with moisture resting on your skin, you greatly increase your risk of hypothermia. To avoid this, try wearing naturally moisture-wicking materials, such as polyester, polypropylene, or nylon.

Layer your clothing

Wearing moisture-wicking clothing is the first step, but you can’t stop there in order to protect yourself from wintery chills. Layer your clothing with a sweat-wicking base, and next a middle layer for warmth, such as fleece or a sweatshirt. Top off your layering with an outer shell to give you extra protection from the elements, such as wind or rain. This top layer can be a waterproof jacket or a windbreaker.