Cold Weather Performance Training

Being a coach from Florida, training in the cold is a new challenge I will be undertaking during the winter season. While Total Performance is an indoor facility with no real outdoor training ground, getting our athletes outside during speed sessions is something we like to do. Some of our athletes have experienced this first hand, and when we make the decision to train in cold weather, some alterations to the training must be made. 

At TP, our speed sessions only last 30 minutes, give or take. This includes a warm up and taking care of the intricacies of sprint mechanics inside the facility, and then head outdoors for the remainder of session (10-15 minutes). Again, as long as it’s not wet, the weather does not really affect us. However, for the sake of discussion, we will break down a full hour of speed training. There are multiple physiological responses to cold weather. Optimizing your body’s responses to cold weather can mitigate the negative effects of cold weather training, maintaining body temperature is priority number one. This is done by proper layering of outdoor gear, and the amount of heat generated through physical activity. 

The primary tissue responsible for heat production is muscle. As the muscle contracts, energy is lost as heat. The amount of heat produced by the muscle is affected by the intensity of the session. During our speed development sessions, we perform short bursts of highly intense work, followed by rest periods. While in normal weather conditions, sweat is wicked away, blood flow to working muscle remains consistent, and resting muscle tone is normal-ish. In the cold, however, the blood vessels constrict thus shunting blood flow, which helps maintain core body temperature. This means overall work capacity of the local muscles decrease, and the workload must be adjusted accordingly. This constriction of blood vessels also increases blood pressure, and decrease heart rate response to activity. Finally, muscle tone increases (your muscles resting length is shortened). This aides in heat production, but range of motion (ROM), speed of movement, and force production can be negatively affected. 

To optimize cold weather training, variables such as: duration, intensity, rest intervals, clothing and exercise selections must be carefully considered. Training too long in a cold environment can have an adverse effect on training adaptations. Intensity and rest intervals essentially dictate the duration of the session. An hour speed session can easily turn into a 30-45 minute session depending on the goal of the session. If we aiming to attain maximum speed, the session will be kept short since our body’s ability to produce power is already blunted. The rest intervals can be tricky, while I have not seen a “cold weather” work to rest scale; I do know that instead of waiting for the next rep, the rest period will contain more low intensity movements. A jog back for recovery, or in place lunges are a few examples of low intensity movements to help maintain blood flow. Clothing must be carefully selected, and more is not always the answer. Most athletes are recommended to wear 3 layers. The first layer should be used to wick sweat away from the body. The second layer acts as insulation to keep warmth in. The outside layer should be waterproof to prevent the body from getting wet. 

Also, energy expenditure increases from shivering, core body temperature maintenance, and added weight from clothing. Ensure that you are properly nourished, and well hydrated to adjust for the increase in energy expenditure. 

Training in the cold is not optimal. You will not get the most out of session, especially if you are unprepared. If competition takes place in cold weather, it would be appropriate to expose athletes to the elements. However, this can often be done through sports practice. Exposing the athlete to environmental extremes does not improve the athlete’s ability to perform in these extremes. Having a healthy diet for performance and being hydrated will improves the body’s ability to perform in extreme climate. If at all possible, train in a normal climate and get the most out of the session. 

Thanks for your time!

Coach Nate Garcia 

nate@tpstrength.com

tim@tpstrength.com

scott@tpstrength.com 

914-486-7678

Instagram: tp_strength