Becoming a certified/educated personal trainer is more than learning the fundamentals of the body, it also involves health coaching of your clients. Your clients will look to you as the health and wellness expert to help them stay the course, remain motivated. That will especially be true in the winter as cold temperatures or snow can put a damper on your workouts and motivation. Hiring a certified personal trainer near you may be the push you need to stay focused on your goals during this challenging weather. Programs need to be modified during colder climate workouts. Trainers from NPTI Florida (Orlando/Tampa) provide experience and expertise to transition your outdoor workouts during the winter months. Before you do anything, understand the conditions you are working with and check the forecast before heading outside. Temperature, wind and moisture, along with the length of time that you’ll be outside, are key factors in planning a safe cold-weather fitness routine.
CLOTHING
Top NPTI Florida personal trainers share how to stay warm in the winter Wear appropriate base layers. Layers are very important with outdoor sports in the winter. They can help you regulate body temperature and keep you dry. Wool or wool blended materials should be used as your first base layer. Wool and wool blended materials regulate body temperature even when they are wet or sweaty and pull moisture away from your skin. This can help protect you from hypothermia. Many distance runners and other endurance athletes suffer from hypothermia when their clothing becomes wet or sweaty and they slow down their pace or stop. Being outside on a cold day in wet clothing can make you succumb to the elements much faster, preventing you from finishing your workout or competition early and jeopardizing your personal health. This also includes not overdressing. Bulky coats will make you sweat faster and soak through your base layers. Choose a lightweight insulated vest that breathes better than a heavy coat. Don’t forget your hats and gloves. Our certified personal trainers remind you to cover your head and hands. Most of our body heat is lost through the head so wearing a hat can help you retain your body heat longer allowing you to stay outdoors in the cooler temps longer without endangering yourself. If you are not a fan of hats, a large wide headband that covers the top of your forehead and your ears can also help you retain body heat and be less restrictive than a hat. Gloves should be windproof and lined. Some individuals like wearing wool blended glove liners under a lightweight glove for extra warmth and less bulk.
HYDRATE
Many individuals forget to stay hydrated and will not drink because they are cold and don’t feel thirsty. Dehydration can happen even when it’s cold outside. Dehydration can affect performance, stamina, and efforts in addition to causing cramping and GI distress. If you will be outside when temperatures are below freezing, remember to put your hydration bottle or flask in an insulated encasement so that your water doesn’t freeze. Remembering to take a sip every few minutes, not overdoing it is important. No matter how much water you gulp down, your body tends to only be able to absorb three to four ounces at a time. Some people don’t feel as thirsty during cold-weather workouts as they do during warmer-weather workouts but you’re still losing fluids through sweat and breathing in lower temperatures. And you still need to replace those fluids by drinking water.
EDUCATION
Our NPTI Florida certified personal trainers advise that you must know the signs of frostbite and hypothermia. Frostbite is most common on exposed skin, such as your cheeks, nose and ears. It can also occur on hands and feet. Early warning signs include numbness, loss of feeling or a stinging sensation. Hypothermia is abnormally low body temperature. When working outside in the cold, your body begins to lose heat faster than it can be produced. Signs of hypothermia are intense shivering, slurred speech and fatigue.
MOTIVATE
Know what time of day works best for you to exercise. Check your schedule and plan a consistent time every day or every other day to exercise. If you plan to exercise in the morning, lay out your gear the night before. If you can plan to be active during your lunch hour, pack snacks, drinks and your lunch the night before. Our NPTI Florida (Orlando/Tampa) certified personal trainers suggest grabbing a buddy for a workout or scheduling a training session. This extra step will keep you accountable and remind you of the goals you set with your trainer. Having someone to frequently exercise with also opens the doors of opportunity to trying something new.
These are just a few ideas to help winterize your outdoor workouts so that you can enjoy the winter and continue working toward your goals. Visit NPTI Florida (Orlando/Tampa) today and see why we are the largest ACCSC Accredited Personal Training School in the country offering Next Generation Personal Training Education.
Visit our website www.nptiflorida.edu to learn more about the requirements to become a personal trainer. Please call or text 407-772-0057 to schedule a FREE class. Veterans also work out for FREE anytime.
