How Cold is Too Cold to Exercise Outside?
You lace up your shoes, pile on all the appropriate clothing layers, and head outside only to find that it feels much colder than you thought it would. You start to wonder why you didn’t just stay inside curled up by the fireplace watching TV or reading a book. Then you start thinking that maybe you should just go back inside. After all, there’s surely a point when it’s just too cold to workout outside.
But maybe not…
The majority of us have probably heard that there’s a point when it’s too cold to do activities outside because it could damage our muscles and potentially even our lungs. We’ve also been told to heavily layer our clothes to ensure we stay warm. In reality though, these are misconceptions.
As long as we’re healthy and used to working out in the cold, there isn’t really a temperature that’s too cold.
However, when it gets to about -18 degrees we start facing the risks of hypothermia and frostbite. The risk is even higher when our clothes get wet and freeze.
The most important thing is to make sure to dress appropriately and wear layers that stay dry and repel rain and snow. It’s when we overdress or stop moving that we put ourselves at more risk. (Wondering how to dress for winter workouts? Read our blog post.)
Outside of dressing appropriately, here are some other tips for when it feels exceptionally cold:
- Less Distance, Smaller Loops – Run a shorter distance and/or do smaller loops so that you’re always close to home in case you get too cold.
- Run into the Wind – Start your run by running into the wind. When you turn around to go home, the wind will be at your back which will help keep your body temperature up and decrease the risk of frostbite or hypothermia.
- Be Comfortable – If you feel like it’s too cold, move your workout inside. It’s okay to switch up your routine.