THE NEW YOU MAGAZINE

WINTER TRAINING - HOW TO KEEP UP THE MOMENTUM

When the winter training months arrive and the cold snap finally hits, training in general will often take a back seat. It’s nothing to be ashamed of or to be worried about, but you want to stay on top of it. To get you firing on all cylinders let’s take a look at a few proven ways you can keep that all-important momentum going during winter.

Why is it harder to train in the winter?

When you wake up in the summer and the sun’s out and the air is nice and warm there’s no better feeling than to go for a run. Unfortunately the winter months are a different prospect all together. With minimal daylight, cold air, and plenty of rain, training outdoors or even venturing to the gym won’t be all that appetising. There are however plenty of ways you can get around this, and it starts with the right mental preparation.

If you want to look good, feel great, and perform at your best all year round then you need to train all year round. People will often start winter training at the beginning of summer and stop long before Christmas. They’re lucky if they manage to train for half the year.

The tricky thing to grasp is that this approach doesn’t get you half as fit and healthy as training all year round. It basically doesn’t do much for you at all. Most of your gains and progression will be undone in the winter months and you’ll be back to square one all over again. If you tell yourself you’re an athlete then this won’t happen. Athletes train all year round because it’s just what they do, not only during winter.

Warm weather training at a Bootcamp in Spain

Of course the best way to beat the cold is to make your way over to a sunny bootcamp in Spain and join us for the week. Unfortunately as hard as you might lobby your boss to let you work remotely from out here, it’s not an option that’s open to you for as long as you’d like.

The secret of training during the winter lies in embracing training indoors. Activities like swimming and aqua aerobics are great choices as heated pools will be the same temperature all year round. You could also sign up for a couple of extra gym classes, or even learn a martial art to get the blood pumping.

Should you train outdoors at all during winter?

Of course, if you feel up to it that is. If you find the prospect so off putting then head to the gym or pool. But if you can stomach it then there’s nothing better than getting home from a long winter run or bike ride, and plunging straight into a warm bath.

Not only will you get the same health benefits as you would during the summer months. You’ll also get the satisfaction of training when no one else is. Ideal if you want to keep up the momentum and work on your positive mindset so that you’re fighting fit for next summer!