If you’re a regular outdoor exerciser in the coldest months of the year, then you already know that your muscles and body grow tighter in cooler climates, and your joint connections grow stiffer in the cold, especially as you get older. Most fitness experts do recommend that you not only warm up prior to starting your sport but also finish off your activity with a few minutes of sports-specific stretching. The brief posture series below targets overused and overworked muscles involved in cold-weather sports, especially activities where your body is folded in forward flexion. These poses relieve stress and tension in the lower back, hips, hamstrings and hip flexors, and each series is sports specific in that they’ll help boost athletic performance and prevent cold-weather injuries.
There’s nothing like setting off on a brisk morning hike or run with the wind in your hair in the Winter. Romping with a friend or loved one—Fido truly loves a long walk but dress your dog warmly too.
Despite Cool Weather exercise popularity statistics on cold weather related injuries are hard to come by. One thing fitness experts do agree on, though: Running, biking and hiking outside in the cold force the body in long periods of forward flexion, leaning slightly forward from the waistline and lower back. This postural alignment stresses major muscles of the mid- to –lower back, and tightens muscles all along the back of the body, from the upper back to the hamstrings, glutes and calves.
Instead of simply stretching your legs at the end of an arduous hike, try performing this 8-minute series of yoga poses to counteract the gravitational forces of running, hiking and biking outside . You’ll avoid injury, reduce aches and muscle tension, and be ready to tackle another mountain tomorrow.
Feel free to use these postures either before your sport, during the week to cross-train for your sport, or even afterwards, to utilize as a stretching aid. Try to hold each posture for 5 to 10 deep breaths (breathe only through the nose) as often as you can and you’ll be able to safely enjoy your favorite cold-weather activity throughout the season — and without stray muscles strains, sprains and the occasional lower-back twinge This series of poses counteracts the forward hinge as you run or bike and also balances muscles of the body. Hold each stretch for 20 to 40 seconds and repeat as needed.
CHEST EXPANSION (opens the chest, pulls shoulders down and back, squeezes shoulder blades together and eases mid-back muscles).
Stand with knees slightly bent and interlace hands together behind your lower back with palms as close to touching as possible. Lift arms off your butt and relax muscles of the face and neck as you arch back for 20 seconds. Then engage the belly, and slowly fall forward folding the upper body in close to the shins. Keep hands interlaced and press knuckles up to the sky for another 30 seconds. Bend knees deeply and roll up one vertebra at a time—repeat two or three times.
COBRA (strengthens and stretches postural muscles along upper- to lower-back).
Lie belly down and stretch long legs in back of you, toes touching the floor and thighs engaged. Place your hands adjacent to top of the ribcage, roll your shoulder blades down your back, look down the end of your nose and breathe deeply. Slowly begin to peel your chest off the mat, keeping bent elbows tucked into your ribcage, and hold for up to 30 seconds before slowly working in reverse until forehead touches the mat. Repeat this several times, coming up higher each time yet keeping hip bones glued to the floor.
PYRAMID POSE (eases the hamstrings, soothes the hips and lower back and stretches the spine)
Stand with right leg in front of you about a foot and left leg in back, both feet straight and parallel (not on the same line). Square your hips to the front, place hands at your hips and engage the belly. Slowly hinge forward from the hips and begin curling your torso over your front shin and hold for 20 seconds or so. Place as much body weight as you can into the rear foot, keep front right knee soft and slowly reach hands to each side of the front foot (or on the calf if hamstrings are tight). When you’re ready to come up, bend both knees and roll back up, then switch sides.
UPSIDE DOWN PIGEON (stretches the hips, glutes, legs and lower body) Lie face up on the floor with knees bent and bring knees over the belly. Cross right ankle over left knee and reach through to grasp left hamstring with both hands. Flex your right foot and point your right toes and keep your tailbone on the mat at all times. To deepen the stretch, you might pull left knee in toward the body and hold for 30 seconds before you switch sides. Repeat twice.
Stay safe during cold-weather exercise. Almost everyone can exercise safely during cold weather. If you have certain conditions, such as asthma, or heart problems check with your doctor before you work out in cold weather.