Terms Of Endurance Proper Preparation Plays Key Role In Cold-Weather Exercise

With snow already on the ground in some parts of the country, it’s time to gear your workout to winter.

Fitness experts offer a range of advice for making the transition from the summer’s outdoor endurance activities to cool-weather pursuits. Winter months are a good time to scale back and let over-use injuries heal. It’s also a great time to focus on cross-training and trying a new sport.

“For the fitness enthusiast, you transition to some fall trail running, trail hiking, ski bounding,” said Andy Pruitt, a physician assistant and athletic trainer at Table Mesa Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation in Boulder. “The Stairmaster is a nice transition to cross-country skiing.”

But it isn’t the time to lose ground you gained in the warm weather.

“People tend to eat a lot more in the winter time, so you need to be conscious of that,” says Nicole Mains, athletic director at World Gym in Boulder. “People tend to be less active.”

Dr. Lorri Fulkerson, an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at Boulder Medical Center, agrees it’s important to keep active.

“The most important thing is just to maintain condition,” she says. “As the weather changes, you have to get in a different mode. … It’s a good time to allow over-use injuries to settle down and heal.”

And don’t think it’s wrong to scale back. “If people can continue a program where they’re exercising 30 to 45 minutes, three or four times a week … you may not be in peak form, but your body needs a break from that intensive exercise you do in the summertime,” Fulkerson says.

Following are some ideas to consider as the seasons change.

Health clubs are hot in the winter.

Stationary bicycles and treadmills are an option if you don’t want to continue biking or running in the cold.

Circuit training - a quick-paced rotation of aerobic and resistance exercises - is another possibility.

“It’s a great, great way to do ski conditioning,” says Nan Fitzgerald, a personal fitness training director. In skiing, “you’re going from really pounding to using your muscles. You need both strength and cardiovascular.”

Fulkerson says any sort of ski-conditioning class is a good idea if you plan to hit the slopes. “That focuses on important strengthening,” she says.

Strength should probably be on your winter agenda.

“Strength training ought to be a big part of transitioning into the off-season,” Pruitt says. “One of the biggest mistakes endurance athletes make is neglecting their upper body, their back and belly.”

So if you’re headed indoors, consider working with weights.

Swimming is a great, low-impact aerobic workout. And if you give up some outdoor activity, now may be the time to get in the swim - especially if it’s something you haven’t tried.

Pruitt says swim lessons could turn you on to a new sport. And it’s a good way to stay in shape.

“Every swimming stroke for me is a fight for my life, so it’s a great aerobic workout,” he says.

If you don’t like laps, consider a water aerobics class at your local recreation center or club.

Popular outdoor cross-training options include cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

“Snowshoeing really has reached a lot of people because it allows people to continue on the trails they hike in the summer,” says Melanie Gonglach of Mountain Sports.

Snowshoeing is popular because it’s simple - just strap a pair of shoes on your winter boots and start walking, no training necessary. It’s relatively inexpensive - about $200 for a pair of snowshoes and you’re ready to go, compared with cross-country or downhill skiing where more gear is needed.

“It’s just more user-friendly,” Gonglach says.

Track skiing also provides a good alternative to summer workouts - and a new physical challenge. It’s also a good transition from in-line skating.

“That’s a great aerobic workout,” Gonglach says. “It definitely takes a lot of practice and skill to get the different strides down.”

It’s great to have plenty of options, but the winter can bring out the hibernation instinct in anyone. If you find yourself transformed to a couch potato, make an appointment with yourself - and perhaps someone else - to get off the sofa.

“Hire somebody (to be your trainer) or get a workout partner who’s going to push you through the workout,” Mains suggests. “For those people who can’t get motivated, jump into a class or find somebody to work out with.

“Make it part of your daily routine.”

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: WINTER FITNESS TIPS If you plan to continue your outdoor routine, here are some tips from running experts and the American Running and Fitness Association: Don’t overheat. Wear layers, so you can remove clothing as you warm up. Overheating can cause fatigue and discomfort. Don’t freeze. Frostbite and hypothermia are true concerns in cold weather, so use common sense and wear enough clothing, especially on extremities (see next tip). And make sure you get indoors when you get too cold. Hypothermia symptoms include slurred speech, loss of coordination, disorientation and intense shivering. But often, you won’t realize this is a problem until it’s too late. Cover your hands and head. It’s important to keep your hands warm. When it’s really cold, mittens are better than gloves. And wear a hat on cold days, because much of your body heat escapes from your head. Consider the wind. When it’s cold, high winds can make conditions even worse. If you exercise outside on cold windy days, start out against the wind so you’ll finish with the wind at your back. That way, you’ll be less likely to be chilled by your body sweat. Use caution. Be aware of weather changes that could leave you cold and stranded. Consider reflective or bright clothing during the longer hours of darkness and avoid traffic during those times.