It has been asked of me lately what my opinion is on training in the cold weather, or what precautions need to be taken to train outdoors in the winter months? So here we go…
Aside from the nutrition and recovery side of things, there are certain things to consider when working in the cold. First and foremost, don’t be a mouth breather. You look ridiculous for lack of a better statement, and you’re setting yourself up for getting sick.
When you take a deep breath in through your nose, there is a particular pathway that the air must travel that is actually a longer route than straight through your mouth. This gives the air a chance to heat up and become a little more humid, something that you’re lungs will appreciate. Not only that, your nasal passageway has mucus and hairs that will trap particles creating a nice little filter for you.
That’s well and good when you’re just walking or standing around, but what if you start running–if you’re into that sort of thing–or moving things around or skiing/snowboarding?
Sure, you’ll have to breathe through your mouth just to keep up with the demands of the working muscles. Of course it is always suggested to breathe in through your nose, but let’s be realistic for a sec. I’ve tried it, anecdotally, and can’t seem to be able to do it for a long period of time without thinking my heart is going to pop or my head explode. Therefore, I wouldn’t expect any of my athletes to do it either.
Most people on the mountain wear ski masks. This serves multiple purposes 1. protects your face from sub zero weather and wind 2. creates a barrier from mouth breathing. Also why lumberjacks have beards, oddly enough, as I doubt they’re making a fashion statement. There are also cold weather training masks you can purchase. I myself received a fancy new ski mask that looks like a beard, 2 birds…
What else? In the past, people traditionally wore wool based clothing in the cold because it keeps you warm. But, what about when you get really warm and start sweating? Then cool down? The wool based material is now damp and you’re in a cold environment. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what that will lead to. Having a material that will keep the heat in, but wick the moist out is ideal. The military has done great research on environmental extremes. This one is pretty solid–minus in the case of fire as the material seems to melt. Wicking material covered by a thicker material is solid. In some cases, they even make a coat or pants with the dry wicking material built in. Possibly the most amazing thing ever.
Footwear? Wear boots that are pretty airtight. Duh.
Leave comments below. I would love to hear some other perspective.