Getting enough exercise is crucial to maintaining overall health, with specific benefits including disease prevention, weight control, mood improvement and increased energy levels. When winter comes around, experts say exercise is just as important – if not more so.
This, according to the American Heart Association, is because a lack of serious heat or humidity may help individuals feel more energized and capable of working out for longer. “[There’s] no reason to stay inside when there is so much fun to be had outside,” said Paula Nielson-Williams, campus recreation manager at Salt Lake Community College. “The important thing is to keep moving.”
Fortunately, Utah is ripe with options for outdoor wintertime activities, which can help one stay in shape until spring rolls around.
Skiing and snowboarding
In addition to being a demanding leg workout, both downhill and cross-country skiing provide cardio-metabolic benefits. This includes helping to drop one’s blood pressure, according to research from the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine.
And according to the November 2019 issue of the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, snowboarding helps to strengthen balance and bodily control and improves one’s range of motion – all fundamentals to one’s posture and stability.
“Skiing has great cardiovascular benefits and is a good opportunity for an outdoor social experience during the winter,” said Corey Boyle, a personal trainer at SLCC and avid skier.
When it comes to skiing, either in its downhill or cross-country form, Nielson-Williams recommends that those looking to start the activity pick their favorite of the two. “Both have strength and cardio benefits. Always base your decision on which one you enjoy doing. If you enjoy it, you will do it,” she said.
Snowshoeing
Nonprofit Renown Health describes snowshoeing, essentially hiking on snow, as a low-impact activity that builds muscle and endurance. Snowshoeing also strengthens balance and agility.
Nielson-Williams said she loves the activity because “the trails are quiet due to [fewer] people,” and pointed out that snowshoeing is sometimes accompanied by unanticipated demands when compared to summer hiking.
Winter sports director for the Wasatch Mountain Club, Steve Duncan, said snowshoeing allows just about anyone to combine exercise with fresh air. “It’s a great winter activity that most people can participate in at some level. Fresh air, good aerobic exercise, no crowds, and it provides a means of [traveling] backcountry to awesome scenery.”
Here are Duncan’s trail suggestions based on experience level:
- Porter Fork, Bowman Fork, and the Pipeline Trail in Millcreek Canyon for beginners
- Dog Lake and Lake Desolation, from Mill D or Greens Basin, in Big Cottonwood Canyon for intermediate snowshoers
- Lake Blanche, Red or White Pine, and the Wolverine Cirque for experienced snowshoers
Ice skating
Ice skating is another winter sport that can reap health benefits.
In an online posting for the New England Baptist Hospital, Dr. M. Kathryn Steiner writes that ice skating is a low-impact sport that strengthens the lower body and abdominal muscles and adds flexibility to the joints.
“Ice skating is an engaging and fun way to exercise and relieve stress,” Steiner writes.
Salt Lake City resident Cristian Alfaro decided to try out ice skating for the first time when passing by the Gallivan Center a couple of weeks ago. “It’s fun,” he said. “It’s a nice way to end the weekend before going back to work next week.”
Safety is important, too
As people consider partaking in winter activities, Nielson-Williams said they should also think about safety.
Layering clothes and having moisture-wicking garments, especially as the base layer, go a long way toward keeping one warm. Nielson-Williams also recommends that travelers know the weather beforehand and stay out of the backcountry if there’s a high chance of an avalanche. Taking an avalanche course is a plus, she added.
Other safety measures include:
- Protection for the face, hands and head
- A backpack with water, snacks and emergency supplies (whistle, small shovel, thermal blanket, first aid, personal beacon and matches)
- Shoes with spikes and/or trekking poles
“And whether it’s summer or winter, you must let someone know where you are going and when you plan to return,” Nielson-Williams advised.
To reduce the chance of injury, Nielson-Williams suggests travelers start out slowly and use dynamic stretches. Dynamic stretches are movements that complete a full range of motion, like leg swings and arm circles. “Stopping to stretch will cool you down, but adding a few dynamic stretches should keep you warmer,” she explained.
If one happens to find outdoor activity to be difficult or dangerous, Nielson-Williams said it’s okay to move winter workouts inside. “Runners will use treadmills when it’s too icy to run outside,” she noted as an example.
SLCC campus recreation oversees three fitness centers at the Taylorsville Redwood, South City and Jordan campuses. Students can use all the centers for free.
“Use winter to try out new cardio machines or hit the weight room and focus on strength,” Nielson-Williams said. “We also offer a lot of fun classes if you like social interaction, [as well as] free drop-in fitness classes and low-cost personal training.”
