Winter workouts can feel challenging but don’t have to be uncomfortable or unsafe. When the weather drops, your body is more prone to stiffness, injury, and discomfort, especially during outdoor activities. Physiotherapy in Edmonton, our physiotherapists have put together some unique tips and exercises to help you stay warm and mobile during your winter workouts.
Winter Fitness Tips for Staying Warm and Mobile
Follow the tips below to keep your body warm and mobile during winter workouts through physiotherapy in Edmonton. These simple strategies will help you stay safe, active, and comfortable no matter how cold it gets outside.
Start with Dynamic Warm-Ups: Get the Blood Flowing
When temperatures dip, your muscles can stiffen up, increasing your risk of injury. A proper warm-up is crucial before any winter workout. Rather than static stretches, we recommend dynamic warm-ups that engage your muscles through movement. This warm-up increases blood flow and prepares your body for your workout.
Dynamic Warm-Up Exercises:
- Leg Swings (Front-to-Back and Side-to-Side): Stand next to a wall and swing one leg, gradually increasing the range of motion. Then, swing the leg side-to-side to engage your hip flexors and abductors. Repeat 10-15 times for each leg.
- Walking Lunges with Torso Rotation: Perform a lunge forward, and as you lower yourself into the lunge, rotate your torso toward the front leg. This warms up your hip flexors, glutes, and core, ensuring all major muscle groups are ready for action.
These exercises will help you warm up without overstretching cold muscles.
Engage in Isometric Holds for Joint Protection
Isometric holds are an excellent way to protect and stabilize joints, especially in strength training or outdoor exercises.
Isometric Hold Exercises:
- Wall Sits: Lean against a wall at a 90-degree angle with knees bent as if sitting in a chair. Hold this position for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. This helps strengthen your quads, hamstrings, and calves without excessive strain on your joints.
- Plank Holds: Hold a plank position on your forearms or hands for 30-60 seconds. This engages your core muscles, helping to protect your lower back during winter workouts.
Isometric exercises help to build strength without causing excessive movement, protecting your joints while maintaining muscle engagement in cold weather.
Incorporate Active Mobility Drills
Cold temperatures can stiffen joints, especially when moving from one activity to another. Active mobility drills are a great way to maintain joint flexibility and mobility throughout winter.
Active Mobility Drills:
- Hip Circles: Stand with your feet and place your hands on your hips. Rotate your hips in a circular motion in both directions. This helps maintain hip mobility, which is crucial during colder weather when these areas are prone to stiffness.
- Spinal Twists: Standing or sitting, twist your upper body while keeping your hips stable. This helps improve flexibility in your spine and warms up your torso for more dynamic movements.
Performing these mobility drills before, during, and after your workout helps to keep your body fluid and agile, reducing the risk of injury.
Try Temperature-Specific Exercises
Specific exercises are more beneficial during winter because they help warm your body and increase circulation. These temperature-specific exercises target muscle groups more susceptible to injury when cold outside.
Winter-Specific Exercises:
- Jump Squats: This explosive movement warms your lower body and increases blood flow. Begin with a basic squat, then jump up as you rise. Aim for 10-15 reps. Jump squats activate your glutes, quads, and calves while elevating your heart rate.
- Mountain Climbers: Get into a high plank position and try to alternate, bringing your knees toward your chest as if you’re “climbing.” This exercise builds cardiovascular endurance while warming your shoulders, core, and legs.
These movements increase your heart rate and help your muscles stay warm throughout your workout.
Incorporate Breathwork for Warmth and Mobility
Breathing techniques can powerfully warm your body, improve circulation, and enhance mobility during cold-weather workouts. Controlled breathing helps you stay calm and focused and activates your body’s natural warming mechanisms.
Breathwork Techniques:
- Box Breathing: First, try to inhale and hold your breath for a count of 4. Then, exhale and pause for another count of 4 before repeating the cycle. This technique increases oxygen flow and warms your muscles by improving blood circulation. Use it during your workout or as a quick warm-up before heading outside.
- Warming Breaths: Inhale deeply through your nose, filling your belly with air. Exhale slowly through your mouth, imagining the warmth spreading throughout your body. This technique can help increase warmth in your core and extremities.
Incorporating breathwork into your routine increases circulation and aids in focusing your mind, improving performance, and reducing cold-related discomfort.
End with a Cool-Down that Relieves Tension
After finishing your winter workout, don’t skip the cool-down phase. Cooling down helps regulate body temperature and aids in the recovery process. During winter, muscles are more prone to tightness, so specific cool-down exercises are essential to ensure flexibility and avoid soreness the next day.
Winter Cool-Down Exercises:
- Standing Quad Stretch: Stand tall and grab your ankle behind you to stretch your quadriceps. Hold the stretch for about 30 seconds on both legs. This helps relieve the tension in the quads from snow shovelling or outdoor runs.
- Chest Openers: Extend your arms to the sides, palms facing forward, and gently pull your arms back. This will help stretch your chest and shoulders after shovelling snow or lifting weights.
These stretches help release any remaining tension and improve flexibility, allowing you to maintain mobility even in colder temperatures.
Stay Warm, Safe, and Active
Winter workouts don’t have to be a struggle. At Turning Point Physical Therapy Clinic, we provide personalized care to ensure you can continue your fitness journey, whether at the gym or at home. If you experience any pain or discomfort or have concerns about staying active during winter, contact us for guidance through physiotherapy in Edmonton.
Your body deserves the best care, no matter the weather!
