Personal Trainer’s Guide to Winter Workouts and Clothing

For many people, winter months can make it more difficult to get in the exercise they need. The cold weather is unpleasant to adjust to in the mornings and evenings when most people are able to exercise. Additionally, cold winter weather can make for more tender joints as they contract in the colder weather and expand once back inside from the elements.

For the most part, there are three aspects that will influence cold weather workouts. Those are clothing and gear for outdoor winter workouts, basic safety precautions for winter conditions, and programming considerations for when to alter workouts for your clients.

There’s no reason people can’t still be comfortable while working out, and talking about these issues can help your clients get more accomplished in their winter training. Their success is your success, so make sure that they have a plan and are equipped to succeed!

Remember that, for those who already have the habits in place doing particular workouts should try to continue those habits. Often, the only requirement for this is a change in apparel.

But some people will need a modification to programming. We’ll cover both in this article.

How Our Bodies React to Temperature

When it comes to cold weather exercise, the chilly temperatures mean you have to go through a bit of a balancing act. You stay warm in cold weather by wearing clothes that trap body heat. However, as your body temperature increases, you have built-in defenses to help bring it back down. This includes things like sweat.

The problem isn’t so much about the sweat that’s produced, it’s more about planning. For instance, if you dress too warmly in winter workout clothes, you could risk severely dehydrating yourself, overexertion, and overheating. Yes—it’s entirely possible to faint from heat exhaustion in freezing weather! This is actually a very common problem, as people are only considering the risk from cold weather issues.

That being said, this is why balance is so important. Overheating and dehydration aren’t the only concerns with temperature and clothing. Another consideration is hypothermia.

When you sweat in cold weather, if your clothing is made of something that retains moisture, like cotton, then it can’t dry out. With wet fabric against your skin, it multiplies the cold impact of things like wind chill and ambient temperature on your skin, sapping heat from your body at a faster pace. We’ll get more into this below, but it’s a really important thing to consider in order to prevent cold weather issues like hypothermia.

Outdoor Workout Clothes for Winter Exercise

When considering working out in winter weather, it can be a challenge to figure out what would work best. We’re going to discuss the types of clothes your clients should wear, and how to tailor these to their exercises and workouts.

To start with, you want to wear layers that make sense. You need to consider the actual temperature you will be in as well as wind chill and humidity levels.

Remember that the focus for safety is with keeping your torso warm first. The upper body will likely need more protection than the lower body. Also keep in mind that how hard you exercise will also impact the balance of your clothing. So, if you’re doing HIIT, you will likely want fewer layers than if you’re going for a walk as the exercise intensity will keep your body temperature up.

On the Skin (Base Layer)

The layer that comes in direct contact with your skin should be made of a moisture wicking material that will prevent the fabric from holding onto your sweat. This will keep your skin dry and prevent the chills that come from being in cold weather when wet.

There are several types of athletic wear, like compression shorts, that have thermal qualities as well. This can help you in some circumstances not needing a heavier outer layer.

The Outer Layer

This is more related to things like wind chill, humidity, and rain or snow. If it’s windy, rainy, or snowy, you will want a shell that is wind resistant and/or water resistant. This is primarily what you want to think about when selecting the outer layer.

However, if wind chill, humidity, and precipitation are not really a factor, then you can omit a shell in this case, and simply pay attention to what would be considered the “in between” layers.

In Between layers

This is where you would consider something like a sweatshirt or hoodie. If you’re wearing long-sleeve thermals, then you might only need a t-shirt or something of the like. In situations where it’s cold, the wind chill makes it worse, and there’s rain or snow, the outer layer would best be a wind or water-resistant shell.

Don’t Forget Your Legs and Extremities

Different preferences will make your workouts more comfortable. For this, think about things like leggings, running tights, sweatpants, etc. You want to make sure that you’re sleek enough to perform workouts yet still comfortable.

In colder situations, gloves and glove liners can be effective. Glove liners are the cloth inserts in some nicer gloves, and in some instances, you can simply rely on the liners themselves so you’re not having to worry about sweaty hands.

Winter running gear and other running clothes are also important, and sometimes unique. Don’t forget about having moisture wicking socks that can keep your feet dry.

Remember Safety: It’s Usually Darker Out!

During the winter months, the sun sets earlier and rises later. As such, the amount of reflective gear you have is really important. Make sure you’re visible to prevent risk from getting hit by a vehicle.

Outdoor Exercise or Indoor Exercise?

In many parts of the world, winter brings with it the opportunity and conditions to engage in different kinds of activities than in the summer months. These can be a great way to keep your clients interested in working out and fighting those winter blues by giving them unique new options.

Outdoor

There are options for cardio like downhill skiing in some places, ice skating, and other such exercises that aren’t usually available year-round. Sometimes extra equipment is needed for these activities, so make sure to talk about what your clients have at home to ensure that they can continue to train.

For those who already have a habit of cycling or running, this is something that they can usually continue doing with the right clothing.

Indoor

Sometimes, the cold alone is going to be a barrier to getting clients to keep to their workouts. In order to keep getting results, it might be time to take their programming inside.

This should be a breeze for a personal trainer! All you need to do is look at the goals for a particular workout, and try to find a way to accomplish those goals in a more constrained space.

Plenty of people will have access to a gym, but that shouldn’t be a prerequisite for your clients to continue training. This is where your creativity comes into play.

For instance, if you’re attempting to have some sort of cardio workout, then how can you move that inside?

Think about what you can have them do to get their heart rate up. Calisthenics are going to be your friend. The human body has plenty of weight to challenge the fittest people without equipment.

Programming At-home, Indoor Workouts

If they normally would do something like cycling, running, or some other form of outdoor activity, then you want to make sure you’re still challenging their muscle groups when they go inside.

Circuits

Putting together circuits full of exercises that can be done in place, like push-ups, squats, burpees, and lunges, are all great ways for your clients to rise to the challenge.

Alternate muscle groups to keep them on track. For instance, alternate a lower-body exercise like lunges with an upper-body exercise like push-ups.

Also, try to factor in some total-body workouts like mountain climbers, which engage the shoulders, core, hip flexors, and legs—like a cardio plank!

Make sure to add in enough variety to target broadly. The main objective here is to simply replace their in-between session workouts with something comparable that will still keep them at the level they need to succeed when they meet with you in person.

They Have Time to Focus on Core and Balance

Core and balance exercises are very challenging, and can usually be done from a living room—even sitting in front of the TV!

Focusing training on balance can really be tough if it has been neglected. Things like holding a yoga tree pose and other such exercises can be a huge help, and don’t require a lot of space in order to train.

But this also includes opportunities for things like planks, leg lifts, and all sorts of other core-blasting options that will have them toned and feeling great.

Key Takeaways

At the end of the day, they need to be safe, visible, and protected from the elements, should your clients be exercising outdoors.

Furthermore, because it’s cold, some people drink less water in the winter, and thus end up with a higher risk of dehydration. Make sure that your clients are tracking their water intake to ensure that they remain appropriately hydrated.

It might take some time and experimentation to find the right balance between comfort and mobility. But, as always, encourage their efforts!

Winter can be a difficult time, especially with the holidays, to keep on track with their workouts. Find the simplest way to translate their warmer weather activities into cold weather ones, and you will likely see them stick with their program.

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