Working Out in Winter Climates
ehju0901
Posts: 394 Member
Hey everyone, so I live in Minnesota where temps can reach -40 degrees in the winter which means I obviously can't get outside for exercise. I'm a pretty strict cardio fan and I enjoy long stretches of fast paced walking. I feel like winter is going to be tough on me as it forces me to use the equipment in the gym (going to the gym gives me anxiety, but I know there is no real way around it in my case).
Any tips to stay motivated or experiences that might help?
Any tips to stay motivated or experiences that might help?
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Replies
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Hey everyone, so I live in Minnesota where temps can reach -40 degrees in the winter which means I obviously can't get outside for exercise. I'm a pretty strict cardio fan and I enjoy long stretches of fast paced walking. I feel like winter is going to be tough on me as it forces me to use the equipment in the gym (going to the gym gives me anxiety, but I know there is no real way around it in my case).
Any tips to stay motivated or experiences that might help?
I have the same problem with gym anxiety. The only thing that helps me is loud music to zone out people and keep telling myself, "get in and get out. we are all here for the same reason." Sorry I can't be of much help
just know you aren't in it alone! 7 -
I understand your struggle regarding the winter months! For me the dark makes it hard to get up and workout. Would you be open to doing videos? There are non-cheesey ones out there. Fitnessblender and the Nike Training Club (there’s a free app) are pretty good.2
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I live in Canada and stay fit in the winter. Finding a winter sport if good. What about getting a pair of skates and skating? Or skiing? I hate treadmills, they make me trip, so I skate and I curl in the winter or do a cardio workout video. There's all sorts you can do. Or just dress warmly and head out to walk.5
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I lived in Winnipeg many years.
I cross-country skied, snowshoed, walked and snowbiked ... even in bitterly cold temps.
If I really didn't feel like going outside, I rode my bicycle on my trainer, did short exercise videos, went to yoga classes, went to the gym or lifted weights at home.2 -
Feel for you there. -40C is no joke. Skating (or anything outdoors of a duration over ~5 min) isn't really an option unless you're at an indoor rink, which could be fun. Long fast walks are so calming, especially if there's green space and nature around. Better for the psyche than the body, IMHO. Hard to find an indoor equivalent.
Maybe if you could find a true HIIT (vs. trendy not quite HIIT) program you could do at home for the physical part and something totally different like guided meditation for the mental part. Not the same by a mile, but something good for you.
ETA: Hopefully the -40C days don't come around too often and you can bundle up as AliNouveau suggests for the more survivable days. Personally, I'm really energized walking or Xcountry skiing in bracing cold, but there are limits. Exposed skin freezing is no fun.0 -
BahstenB10 wrote: »Hey everyone, so I live in Minnesota where temps can reach -40 degrees in the winter which means I obviously can't get outside for exercise. I'm a pretty strict cardio fan and I enjoy long stretches of fast paced walking. I feel like winter is going to be tough on me as it forces me to use the equipment in the gym (going to the gym gives me anxiety, but I know there is no real way around it in my case).
Any tips to stay motivated or experiences that might help?
I have the same problem with gym anxiety. The only thing that helps me is loud music to zone out people and keep telling myself, "get in and get out. we are all here for the same reason." Sorry I can't be of much help just know you aren't in it alone!
I appreciate that! I really need to get on the music train as well. So far, I've just been listening to nature lol.1 -
Feel for you there. -40C is no joke. Skating (or anything outdoors of a duration over ~5 min) isn't really an option unless you're at an indoor rink, which could be fun. Long fast walks are so calming, especially if there's green space and nature around. Better for the psyche than the body, IMHO. Hard to find an indoor equivalent.
Maybe if you could find a true HIIT (vs. trendy not quite HIIT) program you could do at home for the physical part and something totally different like guided meditation for the mental part. Not the same by a mile, but something good for you.
Haha, thank you for understanding my struggle. I'll have to look into meditation, I've always wanted to try it out!
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Feel for you there. -40C is no joke. Skating (or anything outdoors of a duration over ~5 min) isn't really an option unless you're at an indoor rink, which could be fun. Long fast walks are so calming, especially if there's green space and nature around. Better for the psyche than the body, IMHO. Hard to find an indoor equivalent.
Maybe if you could find a true HIIT (vs. trendy not quite HIIT) program you could do at home for the physical part and something totally different like guided meditation for the mental part. Not the same by a mile, but something good for you.
ETA: Hopefully the -40C days don't come around too often and you can bundle up as AliNouveau suggests for the more survivable days. Personally, I'm really energized walking or Xcountry skiing in bracing cold, but there are limits. Exposed skin freezing is no fun.
I've skated outdoors in bitter cold and even when it's been snowing. Bundle up and it's fine. Just makes you work harder to warm up. The ice is harder when it's bitterly cold which I don't personally like but it's still fun1 -
Some of us are crazy enough to run / snowshoe / x-country ski / walk all winter long and it gets down to -40 here occasionally too.. it's all in the layering.
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BrianSharpe wrote: »Some of us are crazy enough to run / snowshoe / x-country ski / walk all winter long and it gets down to -40 here occasionally too.. it's all in the layering.
That looks painful!0 -
AliNouveau wrote: »I live in Canada and stay fit in the winter. Finding a winter sport if good. What about getting a pair of skates and skating? Or skiing? I hate treadmills, they make me trip, so I skate and I curl in the winter or do a cardio workout video. There's all sorts you can do. Or just dress warmly and head out to walk.
Very, very large overlap between cyclists and skiers where I am. (I'm not a skier though). Finding a winter cold-weather hobby can help. Unfortunately, the early darkness can be a significant extra problem for that though too. (For instance, our county parks close at "dusk" and it's being enforced the last 1-2 years - and the better parks for trail running, XC-skiing, fat biking, snow shoeing are all county parks). When bitterly cold (usually a lot of the extra suck is due to wind chill), taking shelter in dense tree cover for exercise makes a huge difference - but not much of a weeknight option here. (possibly better luck for you there).
My outdoor cardio gets less in the winter (but it is extra taxing-enough at the shorter distances and lower speeds that I find the lower volume in the winter doesn't seem to decrease my conditioning). I pick up extra weight training in the winter (what cardio I do in the winter is also less competitive, and I can afford to be fatigued from the gym). I can't stand hamster wheels (foot or bike) - I considered getting a trainer last late summer-fall (broken collarbone + winter would be coming by the time I would recover so possibly extra usage), and still didn't.
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BrianSharpe wrote: »Some of us are crazy enough to run / snowshoe / x-country ski / walk all winter long and it gets down to -40 here occasionally too.. it's all in the layering.
That looks painful!
LOL, nowhere as bad as it looks. The balaclava is reserved for days that are -30 or colder and with the right layering you can be quite comfortable (the trick is dressing as if it's a bit warmer than it is so that when you warm up you don't overheat. The hardest thing for me was finding gloves that were just right.1 -
Hey everyone, so I live in Minnesota where temps can reach -40 degrees in the winter which means I obviously can't get outside for exercise. I'm a pretty strict cardio fan and I enjoy long stretches of fast paced walking. I feel like winter is going to be tough on me as it forces me to use the equipment in the gym (going to the gym gives me anxiety, but I know there is no real way around it in my case).
Any tips to stay motivated or experiences that might help?
You're in one of the world's great Nordic skiing locations, and that's about as much fun as you can have with your clothes on. I'm kind of jealous. I have to drive more than an hour each way to put my skis to snow.
There's a saying, there's no such thing as bad weather, just bad (ie inappropriate) clothes. Down is magical.5 -
BrianSharpe wrote: »Some of us are crazy enough to run / snowshoe / x-country ski / walk all winter long and it gets down to -40 here occasionally too.. it's all in the layering.
Look at that smile! 10 -
The gym doesn't really make me anxious, but it makes me tremendously bored.
Audio books and podcasts help, then I'm in my own little bubble and everyone else is essentially irrelevant. It might be worth a try.0 -
Hi fellow Minnesotan!
Taking up a winter sport really helps. I used to hate winter most of my life until a few years ago I learned how to ski. Both downhill and cross country. I like the downhill version more. Now I actually dont mind winter.
The icicle face reminds me of the short stint I did as a mail carrier in Northern MN. Man thats brutal. But As long as I kept moving and layered up I was actually fine. Finding the right gloves that would let me still manipulate the mail while keeping my fingers warm was a struggle.
When I'm skiing I dont really wear a ton of clothing because I get hot. Now the only complaint is downhil ski boots. My toes are usually the first body part that gets cold.0 -
Hey everyone, so I live in Minnesota where temps can reach -40 degrees in the winter which means I obviously can't get outside for exercise. I'm a pretty strict cardio fan and I enjoy long stretches of fast paced walking. I feel like winter is going to be tough on me as it forces me to use the equipment in the gym (going to the gym gives me anxiety, but I know there is no real way around it in my case).
Any tips to stay motivated or experiences that might help?
Are gyms even open?0 -
Hey everyone, so I live in Minnesota where temps can reach -40 degrees in the winter which means I obviously can't get outside for exercise. I'm a pretty strict cardio fan and I enjoy long stretches of fast paced walking. I feel like winter is going to be tough on me as it forces me to use the equipment in the gym (going to the gym gives me anxiety, but I know there is no real way around it in my case).
Any tips to stay motivated or experiences that might help?
One tip is to wear comfortable hiking shoes to avoid slips and falls as you go on fast paced walks when it snows. I like to get in some cardio too weekly through jogging, but when it snows, I prefer long walks at least one to three times a week in addition to other body weight exercises that I do at home.1 -
phoenixrb35 wrote: »Hey everyone, so I live in Minnesota where temps can reach -40 degrees in the winter which means I obviously can't get outside for exercise. I'm a pretty strict cardio fan and I enjoy long stretches of fast paced walking. I feel like winter is going to be tough on me as it forces me to use the equipment in the gym (going to the gym gives me anxiety, but I know there is no real way around it in my case).
Any tips to stay motivated or experiences that might help?
Are gyms even open?
Our gyms are open, just at limited capacity.0 -
phoenixrb35 wrote: »Hey everyone, so I live in Minnesota where temps can reach -40 degrees in the winter which means I obviously can't get outside for exercise. I'm a pretty strict cardio fan and I enjoy long stretches of fast paced walking. I feel like winter is going to be tough on me as it forces me to use the equipment in the gym (going to the gym gives me anxiety, but I know there is no real way around it in my case).
Any tips to stay motivated or experiences that might help?
Are gyms even open?
Our gyms are open, just at limited capacity.
Awesome! I live in New York, but I've gotten so used to working out outside of the gym because of the pandemic that I hadn't checked whether gyms are even open here, but I just googled it, and it looks like they're open in New York too. Best wishes! 0 -
phoenixrb35 wrote: »Hey everyone, so I live in Minnesota where temps can reach -40 degrees in the winter which means I obviously can't get outside for exercise. I'm a pretty strict cardio fan and I enjoy long stretches of fast paced walking. I feel like winter is going to be tough on me as it forces me to use the equipment in the gym (going to the gym gives me anxiety, but I know there is no real way around it in my case).
Any tips to stay motivated or experiences that might help?
One tip is to wear comfortable hiking shoes to avoid slips and falls as you go on fast paced walks when it snows. I like to get in some cardio too weekly through jogging, but when it snows, I prefer long walks at least one to three times a week in addition to other body weight exercises that I do at home.
Look into YakTrax and Microspikes. They're like car tire chains for your feet. I have a friend who does trail runs in YakTrax all winter.2 -
Hey everyone, so I live in Minnesota where temps can reach -40 degrees in the winter which means I obviously can't get outside for exercise. I'm a pretty strict cardio fan and I enjoy long stretches of fast paced walking. I feel like winter is going to be tough on me as it forces me to use the equipment in the gym (going to the gym gives me anxiety, but I know there is no real way around it in my case).
Any tips to stay motivated or experiences that might help?
I get anxiety the first time or two going to new places, but after than I'm generally ok. I've also found working with a trainer for a few sessions at a new gym is very useful to get me accustomed to the place.
That said, I vastly prefer my cardio outdoors, all winter long, but have no recollection of being outdoors at temps that low. (Might have happened when I was stationed at Plattsburg AFB, but that was too long ago.)
Also, how often does it get as low as -40? My goal is to walk outside all winter long except for on rainy days, and that gives me plenty of days. On rainy days I strength train and/or practice yoga.0 -
Hey everyone, so I live in Minnesota where temps can reach -40 degrees in the winter which means I obviously can't get outside for exercise. I'm a pretty strict cardio fan and I enjoy long stretches of fast paced walking. I feel like winter is going to be tough on me as it forces me to use the equipment in the gym (going to the gym gives me anxiety, but I know there is no real way around it in my case).
Any tips to stay motivated or experiences that might help?
I'm in Wisconsin so I feel your pain!
We got a used treadmill that was in great condition from like Craigslist or some such place a while back for like $75 (I think it was like an $800-$900 unit new). Guy just wanted it gone. So now I can walk/run during the other 10 months of the year when its not warm outside up here in the midwest...1 -
I totally agree with BrainSharpe. Layering.0
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BrianSharpe wrote: »Some of us are crazy enough to run / snowshoe / x-country ski / walk all winter long and it gets down to -40 here occasionally too.. it's all in the layering.
Absolutely, Brian. Wind howling at 60 mph licks and -40 below zero. I snowshoe, ski and still have to do all of the uzhe outdoor chores. Layering works.
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Hey everyone, so I live in Minnesota where temps can reach -40 degrees in the winter which means I obviously can't get outside for exercise. I'm a pretty strict cardio fan and I enjoy long stretches of fast paced walking. I feel like winter is going to be tough on me as it forces me to use the equipment in the gym (going to the gym gives me anxiety, but I know there is no real way around it in my case).
Any tips to stay motivated or experiences that might help?
I lived in Northern Minnesota for 21 years. I was in my best shape in the winter; ice skating, snow shoeing, cross country skiing, winter camping and hiking.2 -
If you can afford the right clothing and gear, you can run outside if you want to. I'm an 8 hour drive north of you. My dad always ran outside, everyday, all my life growing up. There are things you can put on your shoes, balaclava for your face, layering so you can unzip when you get too hot mid run.
I have very fond memories of the icicles that would form on his mustache haha.
But i also like the suggestion of skating or (cross country) skiing. Though skating can be hard sometimes if its a bad ice year.1 -
NorthCascades wrote: »phoenixrb35 wrote: »Hey everyone, so I live in Minnesota where temps can reach -40 degrees in the winter which means I obviously can't get outside for exercise. I'm a pretty strict cardio fan and I enjoy long stretches of fast paced walking. I feel like winter is going to be tough on me as it forces me to use the equipment in the gym (going to the gym gives me anxiety, but I know there is no real way around it in my case).
Any tips to stay motivated or experiences that might help?
One tip is to wear comfortable hiking shoes to avoid slips and falls as you go on fast paced walks when it snows. I like to get in some cardio too weekly through jogging, but when it snows, I prefer long walks at least one to three times a week in addition to other body weight exercises that I do at home.
Look into YakTrax and Microspikes. They're like car tire chains for your feet. I have a friend who does trail runs in YakTrax all winter.
Thank you!
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NC resident so our winters are nowhere near yours. On really cold or rainy days, I do workouts I find on Youtube. Walking workouts(Leslie Sansone), pilates, cardio, yoga, weight training. We also have a simple home gym set up. Exercise bike, Treadmill, weights of various sizes, a mirror, and TV. Looking at exercise equipment (second hand). My absolute favorite exercise after two back surgeries is swimming which is not possible in the winter months. I have to go to a gym for that. I go at off hours (1 to 3 people in the lap swim area. More than that, I leave the pool). Dream would be a swim spa, but definitely out of our budget. So mask, off hours, lots of handwashing. Tradeoff I am willing to make.1
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NorthCascades wrote: »phoenixrb35 wrote: »Hey everyone, so I live in Minnesota where temps can reach -40 degrees in the winter which means I obviously can't get outside for exercise. I'm a pretty strict cardio fan and I enjoy long stretches of fast paced walking. I feel like winter is going to be tough on me as it forces me to use the equipment in the gym (going to the gym gives me anxiety, but I know there is no real way around it in my case).
Any tips to stay motivated or experiences that might help?
One tip is to wear comfortable hiking shoes to avoid slips and falls as you go on fast paced walks when it snows. I like to get in some cardio too weekly through jogging, but when it snows, I prefer long walks at least one to three times a week in addition to other body weight exercises that I do at home.
Look into YakTrax and Microspikes. They're like car tire chains for your feet. I have a friend who does trail runs in YakTrax all winter.
I just picked up a pair on Amazon and can't wait to try these out on long walks this winter coming soon!1
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