“Winter is coming’ might be the motto of House Stark in the hit HBO series Game of Thrones, but it is of great relevance to countless athletes who need to adjust their training regimes during the colder and wetter months of the year. With winter approximately 5 months away now is as good a time as any to start planning for what could be a frosty winter. Getting up at the crack of dawn to do a 10-mile run or cycle in sub-zero temperatures is not only potentially-dangerous but downright unpleasant as well. Thankfully, improved winter training technology such as indoor exercise equipment, temperature control tools, and even wearables are making it increasingly easy for sportsmen, sport women and multiple-sport youth athletes to continue their training even when inclement weather is wreaking havoc outside. The Sports Techie community blog wants our readers and followers to wear optimal apparel and shoes, track your performance metrics, and recover properly wherever you workout.
A warm room makes a world of difference
One of the most obvious reasons sportsmen take their training indoors during the winter is to escape the extreme drop in temperature experienced in many parts of the country. While you don’t want your exercise room to be too hot either, you do want to feel comfortable while exercising. According to scientific research, the best temperature for working out is between 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit, or 20 to 16.7 Celsius, depending where you live. In a gym-like environment, this can easily be achieved by making use of a smart thermostat which will allow you to control the temperature from either a control panel or a smartphone application. Plus, these products save you money on your power bill in the long-run.
The latest smart technology actually allows your thermostat to learn a user’s routines and adjust itself accordingly which means that after it is in use for some time it will no longer need to be adjusted manually. Another way to keep the cold at bay in a training room is to have an ultra-modern ventless fireplace installed. A ventless fireplace will warm the room significantly without you having to worry about the potentially-harmful toxic emissions associated with regular hearths.
Indoor trainers can complement any training regime
Indoor training equipment such as treadmills, stationary cycles, rowing machines, and elliptical trainers can all be used to allow an athlete to stick to their regular training schedule as closely as possible. These sports tech trainers are constantly being revolutionized with most high-end elliptical trainers boasting cutting-edge technologies including ultra-ergonomic support and superb downloadable fitness tracking data. Sports technology advancements usually show up in the newest versions of these smart machines,
It is, in fact, possible to replicate just about any endurance training that usually takes place outside, on an indoor trainer. Apart from protecting against the elements, an indoor trainer can also increase time efficiency, allowing an athlete to fit more quality workouts into a significantly shorter period of time. When training indoors during winter, it is possible to fully focus on the training session at hand without being distracted by your surroundings. Of course, using a digital music playlist during exercise is always fun whether indoors or outside.
Indoor training can reduce injury risk
Injury is without a doubt one of the greatest fears of any athlete. When training out in the cold, muscular injuries including strains and tears become more prevalent. When training in a warm, indoor environment, however, the muscles become a lot more pliable, thus reducing injury. Training indoors during winter also prevents injuries that occur from slipping on the icy ground as well as limiting illnesses such as the common cold, flu, and strep throat that are all very commonplace during the colder months. Falling down can result in fractures, broken bones and concussions so why risk it when it is icy, slippery and frozen outside.
Don’t forget to measure your output
Training becomes all the more effective when you effectively measure your output. When you train outdoors you can gauge distance and intensity a lot easier than when exercising indoors. Luckily, connected sports tech makes it a lot easier to measure your output effectively.
You can measure everything from your heart rate and calories burned to speed and distance traveled with a tech gadget such as an Apple Watch, Fitbit tracker, or one of the countless apps you can download onto your smart device. While the Apple Watch 4 was a big step forward for the wearables industry, future offerings may include additional tech including a sleep tracker and camera. By measuring your output you can not only ensure that your training is optimal but also that you remain motivated while being stuck indoors. Comparing results with training mates, trainers and friends is another fringe benefit.
Sports Techie, although winter may still be a few months off, it is never too early to prep your training schedule in advance. Ensuring that your targets will be met despite the weather will enable you to remain in top form even when training outdoors is no longer possible.
With global warming and climate change at an unprecedented pace in our brief human history, our winters may be shorter but the severity is sure to increase so be aware of rapid or severe changes by checking weather apps. When you see potential storms, rain and wind in the forecast, take your fitness regime inside.
Smart workouts are THE Sports Techie way.
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