MILO BRYANT: Be smart if out in cold weather
The cold weather doesn't have to stop us from getting outside and enjoying a good workout. We simply have to be respectful of Mother Nature and take a few precautions.
• Watch the forecast. It sounds simple, but it's a big one. Nobody wants to get 15 minutes into her workout and realize it's colder than expected.
I always have good luck with the National Weather Service at www.nws.noaa.gov.
• Avoid cotton. Cotton might feel great, but it's not a friend on cold and windy days. Cotton is an evil sponge. It soaks up perspiration and waits for a nice gust of cold air to rush over it.
The cold air hits the sweaty shirt and makes the body cold and miserable. It often makes us stop our workout to find a warm, cozy place.
Replace cotton with a wicking fabric. The material helps take the sweat from the skin, keeping it drier. And the drier the skin, the warmer it will remain. Check for fabrics such as Drylete, Gore-Tex, Cool Max, Akwatek, Varitherm and Polartec.
• Layer it up. You've probably heard about dressing in layers. Actually, I'm sure you've heard it because it's been in this column for several years. Yet, I go skiing and always see folks in these huge coats covering a lousy long-sleeve T-shirt. Do yourselves the favor of wearing several layers. If you get too hot, it's very easy to take off a layer.
• Protection. Take care of those extremities farthest from the body's core: the head, hands and feet. Almost 50 percent of the body's heat can be lost through an uncovered head. And the same fabric technology I talked about earlier can be found in caps, socks and gloves.
• Hydration. I talked about this in tips for getting ready for ski season. Let's reiterate it here: It's vital to stay hydrated while training in cold weather, even though we won't feel as if we are thirsty. Dehydration diminishes the body's ability to regulate heat.
If working out on a cold day is the goal, don't do the coffee or hot chocolate before the workout. They have caffeine, which speeds up the dehydration process. Do I even need to talk about alcohol? A beer before a workout? C'mon, now. Just understand that alcohol helps dilate blood vessels and increases heat loss.
• Take extra time. Cold weather often means cold muscles at the start of a workout or, depending on the intensity of the workout, cold muscles throughout the workout. We need to understand this to avoid pulls and strains. Let's give the body adequate time to warm up or get adjusted to the temperature.
• Be smart. People live in extremely cold weather, and they're often outside in that weather. So anecdotal evidence shows the human body can move in wicked temperatures.
But we don't live where the highs are 10-below, so we're not acclimated. When the temperatures are in the single digits, let's not try to get all manly and prove something.
Read a fitness book and work out tomorrow.
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Bryant is a former Gazette reporter now living in San Diego. He holds training certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association, USA Weightlifting and the Titleist Performance Institute. Reach him through the "contact" link at www.nobullfit.com.
