Old man winter is knocking on the door but that doesn't mean you should allow him to slow down your Nordic Walking! Continue to reap the physical and mental benefits of keeping fit while exercising outdoors by following the advice from Olympian Jo Pavey for winter workouts. While her tips are aimed towards runners, they are just as important for all outdoor activities including Nordic Walking.
Some of the highlights of the article include:
- Stay hydrated. Many of us forget to drink enough water because it's cooler outside and the perception is that we sweat less. Keeping hydrated helps keep our energy levels up.
- Choose the right equipment and layer up. Shoes with the proper grip are important during these muddier months. Technical synthetic fabrics are usually better than cotton because they are thinner which allows for more comfortable layering and they also wick the sweat away from your body instead of trapping it next to the skin (no chafing!).
- Warm up properly. It may be tempting to rush through the warm up because it's cold out but it's still a vital part of the routine because it reduces the chance of injury.
- Cool down. Again the temptation might be to reduce the amount of time or even skip the cooling down altogether but it's important not to. End your Nordic Walk with an easier pace to bring down the heart rate slowly and stretch those muscles in order to reduce any post workout aches.
What are your favourite cold weather Nordic Walking tips? More information and pictures can also be found on the British Nordic Walking Facebook and Twitter pages.