The end of the year - the time of cozy evenings in front of the fireplace, hot mulled wine at the Christmas market and the time of relaxing sauna sessions. However, the end of the year is also the time when many people get sick. Sore throats and coughs are as much a part of this time of year as building up muscle mass for the summer. But if you're sick in bed, you can't and shouldn't exercise.
And that's exactly why in this article we present you with some useful tips on how to get fit through the winter. We tell you how you should train in cold temperatures and how you can master the winter without catching a cold. This way you will stay fit and can continue to work on your athletic goals.
Fit through the winter - not without a sensible warm-up program
If you do sports in winter, you should warm up properly. Yes, muscles, tendons and ligaments need to be prepared for physical exertion even in the warmer months. In winter, however, warming up plays an even greater role for the circulatory system. The reason: in frosty temperatures, the circulation is particularly challenged.
The twilight look - not particularly sexy, but extremely effective
If you want to get through the winter in good shape, you should make sure you wear the right clothes for sweaty sports. Wear functional clothing! This effectively transports sweat to the outside so that your skin stays dry. In this context, the so-called "onion look" is also recommended: If you wear several layers on top of each other, an air cushion is formed that optimally protects you from cooling down. Since a lot of heat is lost through the head, you should also wear a cap, headband or similar.
Fit through the winter - train with a low pulse rate
According to experts, you can safely exercise outdoors at temperatures as low as -15 degrees Celsius. But be careful! At such a cold temperature, you should definitely not push yourself to the limit! This can be detrimental to your health. Exercise at particularly low temperatures with a low pulse and try to breathe through your nose. If you breathe through your mouth, this can affect your respiratory tract - the risk of infections is significantly increased.
Get fit through the winter with a fitness tracker
Of course, a fitness tracker can be used regardless of the season. Especially in winter, however, it is a good way to motivate yourself about the progress you have made so far. After all, it often takes some effort to exercise in the "dark wet".
Fit through the winter - general tips
If you are not fit through the winter, you usually catch it from someone else. This is easier to avoid than some might think. In the gym, for example - a place where germs can spread very easily - it is worth using workout gloves. On public transportation, you should avoid holding onto handles, and door handles are best opened with your elbow during cold season.
It is even more effective to wash your hands thoroughly after exercising, riding the train, etc. Do not touch your eyes or mouth in between. Of course, all this does not mean that you have to develop a germ phobia, i.e. a fear of germs. If you follow our advice, that will be enough - your immune system will take care of the rest.
The immunological gap after training
Have you ever heard of the open-window phenomenon? In psychoneuroimmunology, this term is used to describe a certain window of time after training, or more precisely: the immunological gap after an athletic load. The physical stress during a training session reduces the activity of the immune system. In principle, this means nothing other than that you are more susceptible to infections after your workout. In science, this time window is limited to 30 to 90 minutes.
Protect yourself by wearing warm clothes on the way home, even if you are still warm from your workout. This way you don't give germs a chance. Of course, our other tips will also help you to "close" the time window.
Here you will find over 25 Calisthenics bodyweight exercises on the pullup and dip bar that you can perform outside even in cold temperatures:
Avoid stress and get fit through winter
University, work, relationships - all potential stressors that can weaken the immune system. Especially in the cold season, when our immune system has to perform at its best anyway, you should avoid stress as much as possible. Since a training load is also a kind of stress for the organism, you have to reduce the training load in stressful phases or make the training shorter or lighter. This way you maintain the efficiency of your immune system. It can then fully concentrate on the stress triggering event. As soon as this event is over, you can get back into training and continue to work on your goals.
Keep your mucous membranes moist
In order to stay fit through the winter, your mucous membranes need to function well. Mucous membranes are located in the mouth and throat, among other places. They represent one of the natural protective barriers of our body. Mucous membranes intercept pathogens and later destroy them together with the immune system.
In order for the protective barriers to function properly, you must protect them from drying out. Dry heating air is a particular problem in this respect. It is one of the main reasons why so many people fall ill in winter.
In order to prevent the mucous membranes from drying out, you must drink enough fluids - this does not mean soda pop etc., but water or tea. This is difficult for many people, as the feeling of thirst is generally a little less in the cold or during the winter.
It is also very helpful to humidify the heating air by placing a container of water on the radiator. Just fill a little water in a bowl and place it on the heater.
Maintain a varied diet
Your body and especially your immune system need sufficient micronutrients. These include vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Eat a varied diet and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. This way you will strengthen your immune system and contribute to your overall health.
Nutrition tips and recipes guide
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Not fit through the winter - what now?
Should you "not get fit through the winter" despite our advice, it is recommended to refrain from intensive training sessions. Many fitness freaks train even with a cold. After all, they don't want to lose muscle. But believe us, this is anything but beneficial in any way! Intensive training when you are sick usually makes you even sicker. In addition, no performance progress is possible, because your body has enough to do with getting healthy again.
If it is hard for you to stop training, we recommend you to do the "Neck Check". No, this is not a special "cold workout". It is more about determining whether you can train or whether you should definitely take a break.
If you have symptoms above the throat (runny nose, ...) you can train lightly. Light means doing the exercises with half the normal weight. A light cardio session is also fine.
As soon as your throat and deeper regions are affected, do not exercise at all! "If" you do not listen to your body, for example, a heart muscle inflammation can develop.
Fit through the winter - Vitamin C as a panacea?
Vitamin C supplements are touted in advertising as THE cure-all for a cold. However, only very high doses, which may only be taken over a certain period of time, can really shorten the duration of a cold. Studies have also shown that vitamin C can reduce the incidence of colds only in high-performance athletes. In the "normal" population, on the other hand, supplements do not reduce the frequency.
Our tip: Eat a balanced diet (not only in winter!) and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. This will maintain the efficiency of your immune system and you won't have to buy expensive supplements that won't do anything anyway.
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The top 10 tips against Christmas fat
5 reasons for outdoor bodyweight training
Bodyweight training - 5 advantages
