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Cold Weather Workouts Help Me Train Harder


Finally! I’m so glad the cold weather is starting to settle-in down here in Florida. Maybe it’s because I can’t stand sweating profusely, but I find that working out in the cold helps me train harder. I think back to my football days and reminisce about practicing in the cold. We’d get out of practice without breaking a sweat, or so it seemed. We did sweat, but it wasn’t as bad as during the Summer.

When I’m working out in the cold I feel like Rocky. Remember that scene when he has a full beard and is carrying a log? Or was it dragging it? Well, that’s me during the cold months! I feel immune to pain and fatigue in the cold. It’s like I can go on and on and on with a workout, not that I do because it becomes counter-productive after a while. It also takes me a little longer to get warmed up when I’m working out in the cold, but it’s better than getting lightheaded like I do when I’m working out in the heat.

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Not sweating as much is a catch 22 for me. On the one hand, I don’t feel gross with all that nasty sweat dripping and I can have a tough workout without being as sore as normal. The downside is that I can easily overexert myself due to the longer workout and I sometimes feel like I haven’t “done anything” since I didn’t sweat as much.

There’s a fine line, but at the end of the day I prefer to workout during the Fall/Winter than in the Summer.

What about you? Do you like working out in the cold or in the heat? Why?

About the Author

My name is Israel Lagares. I used to be the kind of guy that was always in shape, but over the last few years I've fallen off tremendously. This site is my final attempt to get back into shape. So far I've lost 70.4 lbs. Check out my weight loss chart, weight loss videos and progress pics. Follow my journey, those of others, and read our thoughts on various health topics. Share your thoughts, experience, and journey here on FMU.

Community Thoughts (41)

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  1. Harminder ChaggerNo Gravatar says:

    Dude that’s amazing ! Compared to when you were at 350lbs your shape now is really great man. One thing I have to ask, how come your skin is not hanging off, how are you making it tight again, is there a particular exercise?

  2. AnthonyNo Gravatar says:

    I also like to work out during the cold. I don’t get tired easily. I last longer and no excessive sweat.

  3. I always prefer working out in the colder weather, once I warm up a bit. I find that I generate a lot of heat when I get moving and I won’t feel the exercise nearly as much if I have somewhere to radiate it so that is good. On the other hand, if I exercise in any heat, I can make myself lightheaded in no time.

  4. I’m with you Israel, I hate the heat… it is easy to get motivated if I don’t have to fight heat!

  5. jump higerNo Gravatar says:

    Wow I didn’t realize that you were in Orlando! I’m in Orlando too! I think that I saw your car one day on the way to work off of I-4. Either that or it was someone else’s car with a big fatmanunleashed.com website tattooed on it…LOL

    Anyways good to here from you again!

  6. Paul DuncanNo Gravatar says:

    I think there is another great benefit of training in the winter. Simply put,in the winter most of us are normally covered in clothes and nobody can see our bodies.

    But when the the weather gets a bit warmer and you start to wear less clothing, everybody will be able to see what your physique looks like.

    Training hard in the winter sets you right up for the summer. The mindset is important too. While everybody else is all snuggled up at home, you are putting in the hours at the gym, improving your body and your health.

    A lot of people stop thinking about exercising or dieting a couple of months before Christmas. They figure that they will start in the new year. But technically the new year starts just like any other day. It’s just a day like any other, but we tend to think of it has being highly significant.

    Our bodies don’t know the difference between new years day and the first day of November. These weeks leading up to Christmas are wasted by so many of us, and they shouldn’t be. Although training in the winter is ideal, and gives us a big head start as to what we will look like when the spring cpmes, most people don’t train as hard, or at all, because they cannot be bothered,

    Everybody shpuld train in the winter.

  7. Here in Sheffield UK, We dont have the luxury of much hot weather, however on a real hot day, I wont bother going for a run, de-hydration and to much sweat.

  8. Yeah Winter is the best time for starting exercise or if you are doing it in cold ,you can exercise for more time without sweating.

  9. I quit smoking and started exercising this winter. I found that the cold weather helps my lungs as they are still recovering from all the nicotine

  10. JoshNo Gravatar says:

    I definitely prefer working out indoors when it’s cold out (aka right now). I absolutely hate running outside when it’s cold out because it’s just an overall unenjoyable experience. So yeah, if I’m working out outside then I definitely prefer warmer weather.

  11. CoZoPhilNo Gravatar says:

    Oh dear! I’m beginning to feel like an outcast – I like the warmth. I run a bit and find that my lungs hurt when it is really cold. My favourite running environment is WARM rain.

    Strange I know – but I am English after all (or maybe it’s an age thing). It’s getting a bit cool here now, so am about to don many layers before venturing out.

  12. matrimonyNo Gravatar says:

    workng out on the cold hmm.. i am not incline to it for a lot of health reasons.

  13. xfactor79No Gravatar says:

    If you only new what it was like living in Pennsylvania! Cold weather is great to workout in, but running for extended periods of time or doing high intensity in the cold can wear on your lungs.

  14. DeeNo Gravatar says:

    I am in Florida myself!!! I happen to be in South Carolina for xmas break and worked out in 40 degree weather and still sweated but not like working out in Fla! It was nice to sweat and cool off and the extra coolness made me pick up my intensity big time!!!!!

  15. aicheNo Gravatar says:

    I appreciate not sweating as much in cold weather, and it’s nice to not feel all oppressed by the heat, but breathing heavily in the cold is a problem sometimes.

    The brisk feeling is wonderful though.

  16. I prefer the hot weather, cold weather work and if so sleepy sports pingin so lazy. Delicious hot weather so the work is more excited and challenged. Okay posting impressive.

  17. vesipiipNo Gravatar says:

    Also, same thought. I better train inside. But also, I don’t have fat problems, I need to gain. My weight is pretty small so, wish me luck, I eat like crazy.

  18. The big secret to exercising outdoors in the winter is to wear as little as possible. Yes, you read that right. You want to wear as little as you can get by with and still be comfortable.

  19. AndrewNo Gravatar says:

    Is it more efficient to have workouts on cold weather?
    What should be the most appropriate weather that is best to have workouts??

  20. I quit smoking last year on the advise of my elder brother, I was very much coughing at that time. But now-a-days I am feeling well and doing physical exercise. quiting the smoking is really a difficult attempt but I succeeded.

  21. ToothhaterNo Gravatar says:

    I LOVE working out in cold weather, makes me feel like Rocky. I remember watching a Rickson Gracie documentary where he sits in this freezing cold lake. Helps focus the mind.

  22. “Makes me feel like Rocky” – love that imagery 🙂

  23. I live in Denmark and it gets pretty cold here. I like running in spring the best. Ill tell you why.

    Love running in the forrest. The ground is not har as in the winter, the trees are more beautyfull, the air is not cold nor hot but perfect, no snow and slippery paths that makes it dangerous to run and slip and last but not leat — POWER MOTIVATION that you have to loose weight before summer. It makes you run till you fall:)

  24. I love working out in the cold too, but there is definitely a limit. I cannot do a polar bear workout. I think the ideal temperatures to workout in are mid sixties.

    At this temperature, you are unable to overheat because the crisp and cold air keeps the body heat down. Also it seems harder to sweat since it takes longer for your body to heat up.

    The trick is after you workout, you need to get rid of your wet clothes and dry off, because the second the body cools down you will have an intense case of the shivers!

  25. PalomaNo Gravatar says:

    I enjoy working out in the cold also. The initial ten minutes can be rough but once your warmed up and sweating it feels refreshing and great!

  26. KodyNo Gravatar says:

    Congrats on all the weight loss man! I like working out in the cold as long as I get to be in warmth after it’s over lol.

  27. HazmanNo Gravatar says:

    I agree 100% with this post, for some reason winter workouts feel mo there effective, only because your body warms up, and your body feels good with the extra heat produced by the workouts, and in winter you can put more effort it, because you cant always be out and about topless! The more work you do over the winter periods..the more the better your body will be for the upcoming summer periods!

  28. I found I workout a lot more during the fall and winter. I don’t know why but I tend to lose motivation when it starts to get warm.

  29. I think Im the opposite – The warmer weather to me means (at the beach with your shirt off), so I tend to want to lose the winter tummy skin-folds caused by excess winter comfort food more readily during the summer.

    Cold weather has the tendency to send me to the pie store 🙂

  30. GregNo Gravatar says:

    Interesting I find myself to be the opposite. I hate working in the cold because A.) Its cold. lol but breaking a sweat is good for the body it releases toxins and what not, I like sweating so much that I use the sauna. P.S. when you constantly sweat and your body adapts you tend to not smell bad when you sweat so thats another benefit of sweating.

  31. Star CarltonNo Gravatar says:

    I wish it were cooler now. When I bench press the humidity in Chicago is killing me.

  32. SamuelNo Gravatar says:

    I know what you mean about working out when it’s cold. I feel like I didn’t get a good workout if I don’t sweat, even though my muscles could be all sore.

  33. EzmeltsNo Gravatar says:

    I’m so glad the cold is finally settling in! I live in Miami and we get blasted with sunshine and rain in this part of the sunshine state.
    This means I can go for jogs in the afternoon (or maybe even at daytime!) without passing out from heat stroke or getting inadvertently rained on!

  34. Andrew ScottNo Gravatar says:

    Hi Israel, hope that you are well. It’s been a while since I have visited your site.

    I like training in the cold, I love on a crisp morning heading out for a run, but when the snow comes and I am bound to a treadmill I hate it. I hate the treadmill!

    I am going to be heading off to Indonesia for 5 weeks over Christmas so I will be taking advantage of the 32-32c heat to hit the roads for some morning runs and then hit the gym for super sweaty weight lifting sessions.

    Take care,
    Andrew

    P.s.
    I have recently qualified as a personal trainer, check out my site! 🙂

  35. Israel,

    Man it’s so hard for me to get into working out in the winter. I’m from Texas and you know how we complain about the weather when it gets below 60 degrees!

    I think that it’s more of a mental thing for me. It just seems like I’m going through the motions. I keep myself in great shape, but this is something that I have to work on.

    Wish me luck!

  36. MattNo Gravatar says:

    I find that I generate a lot of heat when I get moving and I won’t feel the exercise nearly as much if I have somewhere to radiate it so that is good. On the other hand, if I exercise in any heat, I can make myself lightheaded in no time.

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