Winter activities and suitable stretching.
Winter sports or winter activities are competitive sports or non-competitive recreational activities which are played on snow or ice. Most are variations of skiing, ice skating and sledding.
Whether there’s snow on ground or not, there are a ton of fun things to do when it gets cold.
There are various examples of fun winters activities/sports which can be both indoors and outdoors few examples include
1. Ice skiing
2. Cross country skiing
3. Ice fishing
4. Snowman
5. Sledding
6. Snow ball fight
7. Camping
8. Hiking
We’ve all known the cold weather to bring to mind short, bone chilling chilling days, and long dark nights.
In order to unwind and keep the body alive, warm and active after a chilling night and freezing day, in this article I have put together some interesting and engaging stretches that you can engage in.
1. Take a brisk walk: Seven to 10 minutes of a light aerobic activity, such as a brisk walk, will get your blood moving. Be sure to swing your arms to warm up your upper body as well as your legs. This warm-up exercise is good for any outdoor activity requiring aerobic activity.
2. Air squats warm up your lower body nicely: Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart and arms at your side. Slowly lower your glutes (buttocks) toward the ground as you lift your arms in front of you to shoulder level. Warm up your leg muscles especially before participating in activities like skiing and snowshoeing, which require a lot of legwork.
Throughout the exercise, aim to keep your knees in line with your feet. As you squat, keep a neutral spine and lift your chest. It may help to focus on a spot in front of you.
Once your quadriceps (thighs) are level with the floor, reverse the motion and return to a starting position. Repeat 10 to 15 times.
Ice skating and cross-country skiing require you to reach forward and push back with your legs. So warming up your inner and outer thighs is a good idea with the following simple stretches.
1. Forward, backward, and side lunges will help you glide over ice and snow: Stand with your shoulders back and your feet shoulder-width apart. As you gaze forward with a neutral spine, take a large step forward, back or to the side. Maintain a straight back while you lower your hips until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle.
Take care that your front knee does not extend past your ankle. Your back knee should hover just above the ground. Once you reach an extended position, push through your heel to return to a starting position. Repeat the exercise 3 to 4 times in each direction on each leg.
Don’t forget your upper body. You will use your arms for stability or momentum, even during activities and exercises that rely heavily on legwork.
2. Forward and backward shoulder circles warm-up your arms, back and shoulders: Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, lift your left shoulder to your ear. In a single continuous motion, rotate your shoulder back, down, and around to start, completing a full circular motion. Repeat the warmup 10 times on the left side, first rotating your shoulders backward and then forward. Repeat the same 10 backward and 10 forward repetitions using your right shoulder.
3. Arm circles increase the blood flow to the entire arm: Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, raise your arms out from your sides to create a “T” shape with your upper body. Starting with small movements, begin to make clockwise circles with your arms. As your muscles start to warm up, increase the size of your arm circles until you are using your full range of motion. Complete 15 total reps in a clockwise motion and repeat the exercise in the counterclockwise motion.
If you participate in winter activities consider adding 15 minutes to your schedule for a good stretch to warm up your muscles before hitting the trail, slopes or ice. You may want to consider adding some flexibility stretches to your daily exercise routine as well. Stretching for both warmth and flexibility can prevent injury.