Cold weather training– Winter personal training Mulgrave

As the weather gets colder- motivational levels start to decrease. Why not come to Mulgrave for some winter personal training at PCHC.

Knowing the risks of cold weather training is only half the battle. It is essential to be familiar with a proper risk management strategy to help guide decision-m

aking that can improve safety and exercise performance

Warming up–Personal training Mulgrave

It is important to effectively warm up the body prior to any exercise commencement. The warm up should gradually prepare the body for the stresses it will be undergoing; this will loosen the joints and increase blood flow to muscles. Stretching warms the muscles and prepares them for the movement they will be required to perform during the activity.

Key Benefits of warming up;

• Increased body temperature: Improves muscle elasticity, which is a key factor in reducing muscle pulls and strains.
• Increased muscle temperature: The temperature of the muscles increases, which means that the muscle will relax and contract more effectively making for greater speed and strength. This also means it is less likely for the muscle to be pulled or over-stretched, so the chance of injury is reduced.
• Greater range of motion: As joint and muscles start to warm up, they become more flexible and the range of motion is improved.
• Hormones: When warming up, the body produces hormones which regulate energy production. While warming up these hormones will enable more fatty acids and carbohydrates available to be turned in sustained energy throughout exercise activity.

Dehydration–Personal training Mulgrave

Some people get mistaken that dehydration mainly occurs with increased weather temperatures; however dehydration also occurs heavily in the cold times too. Cold weather tends to move blood and other bodily fluids from your arms and legs to your core; this will normally increase urine output.

As the weather gets colder the body decreases thirst sensation, which is normally an early sign of mild dehydration. Signs to look out for when dehydration

• Headache
• Dry mouth
• Fatigue
• Muscle cramps
• Dry skin
• Dizzy or light headed

Keep Moving–Personal training Mulgrave

Just as important as the preparation of the activity, it is also important after exercise that you do keep moving; Cooling down is also just as important as warming up. A light walk or ride on the bike before stretching will do the job. This is important so your muscle do not become stiff. This is an important factor when training in winter, as muscles cool down very quickly. Therefore as muscles cool down very quickly by-products from contractions cannot be flushed out of the bloodstream in time. This result in painful muscle spasms and some injuries may occur.

Thought-out exercise expenditure if you are reaching exhaustion and pushing to a max, it is very important to not sit or lie down immediately- this will cause circulation to drop very quickly and your muscles to stiffen. Keep moving at a light speed.

The take away message that we want you to take, is that winter can be a tough time to train- however when training this winter take in consideration these key points, warm up effectively and efficiently; Keep hydrated and sip on water throughout the day, and before you get thirsty to decrease the rate of dehydration and also to keep the body moving post exercise to decrease the rate of injury.

To find out more about training in the cold head to our Facebook page.

If you have further questions please don’t hesitate to ask at PCHC Mulgrave.

6 Brough Street – Springvale