All it takes is a look at the forecast and most people's will to go outside and get moving is instantly drained. But instead of using the winter weather as an excuse to avoid exercise, Derek Ferley, Director of Sports Sciences and Research at the Avera Human Performance Center, suggests taking the opportunity to try a new activity and reap fitness rewards in the process.
Is it simple to find winter activities that also double as exercise?
I think a lot of people will look out during the wintertime when it starts to get cold and when the daylight hours are diminished and feel like, who wants to go outside and work out when you've got to bundle up? But there are lots of things that you can actually do in addition to just being inside and using the gym.
What are some of the health benefits of snowshoeing?
Snowshoeing is a great way to not just burn calories, but build endurance. You're trudging through the snow, so there's an element of balance and control that's involved. So you're doing some strengthening and developing what's called proprioception. It's just all around a great exercise. If you like to walk, you might as well add some snowshoes and get off the beaten track and really explore some of the trails that we have around here and some of the wooded areas. And man, you can have some just great experiences getting out there and doing some snowshoeing.
Why is cross country skiing such a great exercise?
It is an all-around fully body engaged exercise that boy, when you are out there, you are working. Well, you're working as hard as you want, but you are definitely engaging everything about the body that's going to make you get great cardio, great strength, again, great balance and good control. But you don't need to be a world class cross-country skier. Perfect exercise to do during the wintertime.
Is sledding really an exercise?
Well, think about it. If you're going to sled, you're going to go down a hill and once you get down to the bottom, you're going to have to walk back up that hill. So you're again, you're getting some great cardio, you're burning some calories, you're staying warm. It's a great thing that you can do with your kids or your niece or your nephew or even for a fun day out with some friends. With all of these exercises, even though it might be cold on the thermometer, once you get out there and you start doing these things, you're definitely going to stay warm enough that you're not really even thinking too much about the cold.
How beneficial is getting a simple 30 minute walk in?
You can underestimate the importance of even just walking. Low impact exercise that you do at a lower intensity for a longer period of time is ideal for really establishing good cardio respiratory fitness, a good base of training if you want to use that as a springboard to go on into running, for example. If you're somebody who likes to run, at least in the wintertime, you can add more layers versus in the summertime. You get to a point where you can't take any more layers off.
With any exercise, how important is it to also layer up appropriately?
Oh, for sure. With all of these things, you want to be sure that you've got different layers and that you can dress such that if you do start getting a little bit warm, you can certainly shed a layer or two. With a little bit of preparation and a little desire to try something new and something different, you can absolutely get out there and really enjoy yourself.
