Exercising outdoors is better than doing it indoors, as it has the added benefit of helping to better clear our minds. However, go outside for a run during the winter It involves subjecting our body to low temperatures, which can entail risks if the proper precautions are not taken.
Warm up before training takes on a special relevance when this is going to take place during the winter and outdoors. And it is that the muscles need oxygen to contract, and when the temperatures are lower they experience difficulties to obtain said oxygen, which, if it is not heated, leads to an excessive stiffness of the muscles, which can cause injuries.
The respiratory system is also affected by cold, causing pain in both the lungs and the throat. Experiencing slight difficulties in breathing and coughing at first is normal when we exercise in very cold environments, but as training progresses they tend to disappear, so if breathing difficulties and cough persist, stop training and consult with the doctor as soon as possible.
Staying hydrated to avoid hypothermia it's another priority when it comes to winter outdoor workouts. And is that by not producing as much sweat as when we exercise in good weather, there is a risk of forgetting to drink water, which increases the risk of hypothermia. So do like in the summer, and drink even if you are not thirsty.
Dress in the right clothes It is another of the precautions that will free us from hypothermia. Experts recommend a cotton-polyester blend as it keeps us warm but at the same time lets sweat evaporate, preventing it from transforming into a wet and cold layer on our skin.
Finally, once the training is finished, put on dry clothes as soon as possible And, if your throat feels dry or your body a bit cold, have a hot drink, such as green tea, although any type of infusion will do us good in this regard.