Well, Winter is well and truly here. And we all know how hard it can be to drag yourself out of your warm cozy bed to train. So here are some tips to stay motivated and continue your health and fitness goals through the colder months. AND stay injury free.
Keep in mind, that apart from the general uncomfortable feeling initially, there are some great health benefits to training in the cold.
- A change in the air temperature and air quality can strengthen the immune system.
- We counteract the cold with an increase in heart rate, which increases energy consumption leading to greater efficiency of the body system
- According to the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research in the US, regular cold-weather training could cut your risk of man flu by 20-30%. – See even the researchers believe in man flu!!!
Here Are Our Top 5 Tips To Stay Injury Free:
Set Yourself Up To Succeed:
Set your alarm somewhere where you have to get out of bed to turn it off. It’s too easy to hit snooze, stay warm and miss your session. Once you are up, you are far more likely to attend your session. While you are at it, place your clothes under your alarm the night before. This way you can start getting changed immediately, rather than searching for clothes. 
Layer Up:
Wear a base layer of compression clothing on both your upper and lower bodies. Then add out layers of lose-fit athletic clothing. If you are training outside – maybe opt for gloves and a beanie, with a lightweight windbreaker style jacket over the top. As you start to warm up, you can remove items of clothing. Ensuring you have the correct equipment and clothing, will ensure you can stay injury free during the colder winter months training sessions!
Allow More Time For a Thorough Warm-up & Stay Injury Free:
Just like a car takes time to warm up, so does your body. Jumping straight into high-intensity exercise is a one-way ticket to injury, pain, and dysfunction. A slow deliberate warm-up, allows your body to adjust to your setting and climate. This gives you the best chance to enjoy your session and remain injury free.
Set a Goal:
Register for a fun run. An obstacle course, or running 5km without stopping. Setting a SMART goal (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-based) Having a goal allows you to work towards something. rather than just training for the sake of training. It should also provide an incentive to stay injury-free. And tell someone. Post it on social media. Tag us we love keeping our community accountable to their health goals and actions! As long as your stay injury free that is!! Tell your friends and family. They can keep you accountable as well as add support along your journey.
Train During The Day:
Where possible, choose early morning or lunchtime to train. It’s generally the warmest part of the day. And also when the sun is best positioned to stimulate the production of Vitamin D. In winter, many people suffer from a vitamin D deficiency, a vitamin which is particularly important for bones and joints and also lifting the spirits! So get out there and get the sun on your face. 
REMEMBER….
It’s important not to train through pain and dysfunction. We see many so many more soft tissue injuries in the winter months. So stay on top of your body. Focus on your recovery, good nutrition, and adequate sleep. These are factors that should be abided by regardless of the time of year you train. Following these steps, allows you to train longer, achieve your goals and stay injury-free.
At Equilibrium Sports and Spinal clinic, we thrive on helping Glen Iris locals who need a little help with their bodies through the winter months. Our Osteopaths service Malvern, Glen Iris, Ashburton, Toorak, South Yarra, Hawthorn, and Caulfield. Let us help guide you to better shoulder health and wellbeing, ensuring you stay injury-free through these colder winter months.
Any Questions?
Feel free to email us at info@equilibriumsas.com.au .We are here to help you stay injury free this winter!
