Winter Training Guide

7 strategies to stay on track this winter

No matter how much it pains me to speak of it, those cold months indeed have arrived and seem to be settling in for the foreseeable future.

It’s the time of year when there’s a colossal separation in the world of fitness.

On one hand, we have the gym rat who relishes the frigid months because it means there’s nothing better to do than spend countless hours in the gym.

And then we have person B – someone who struggles to find motivation for exercise during the winter and is much more sedentary than they are in the months prior.

I find person B oftentimes is someone who gets most of their physical activity during the warmer months while outside whether that be jogging, walking, biking, or something similar. However, when the cold comes knocking, they decide to hang the running shoes up until the weatherman speaks of a 50-degree day since the treadmill just isn’t the same.

Don’t beat yourself up, many people can resonate with person B on some level.

Because it’s true, it’s much easier to get out for a few-mile stroll on a 70-degree evening than it is to roll into the gym whilst being smacked in the face by snow on a cold winter morning.

But don’t worry, there are seven strategies I’m going to equip you with today that will make prioritizing your health and fitness this winter easier than the last.

(1)  Have a Space

Let’s start with the obvious here.

Although not impossible, it’s incredibly challenging to exercise outside during the winter – especially when there’s snow on the ground and the wind is howling.

Therefore, you must have some real estate indoors to move to.

And while that seems apparent, there are many people who lack this incredibly key necessity and thus fail to be active.

What’s ideal? Joining a gym if you don’t already belong to one.

Here’s why I say that.

First, they have all the equipment you need and more.

Second, a gym offers a much-needed change of scenery given all that time spent in your living space during the winter.

And most importantly, us humans are loss averse – we despise feeling like we’re not getting our money’s worth out of something and thus will be inclined to use the membership if we’ve paid for it.

Nevertheless, a home gym is still a very fine option if you have the resources to purchase equipment such as dumbbells, a weight bench, bands, etc. While not all these items are required, having them will give you the ability to complete exercises that offer the most bang for your buck.

(2)  Set the Plan

Winter is no time to rely on motivation.

Those cold, dark mornings followed by the same in the evenings don’t necessarily entice a spark of energy to voluntarily invoke pain upon ourselves.

How to address this?

Construct a manageable (key word) exercise routine that leaves nothing up for question. From the number of exercises, sets, repetitions, heck even the days and times you are going to hit the gym can all be planned out.

Again, this limits the requirement for motivation as the plan is already there… all you must do is check the box.

What’s ideal? I’m a firm believer that most individuals will maximally benefit from a 3-day full body strengthening routine and 2-3 days of structured cardiovascular exercise.

If that sounds overwhelming, hiring a personal trainer will pay dividends.

(3)  Gear Up