MoFitness is super grateful that we can provide you with our outdoor Winter Boot Camp again, given the pandemic restrictions. In light of this, we thought it might be helpful for our fitness community, especially our new members, to have a quick rundown of helpful tips for outdoor classes.
Layer your clothing:
- Opt for a tighter fit, sweat-wicking base layer like tech or dri-fit shirts and leggings that are made of materials like polyester, which pulls moisture from your body, leaving you dry. Fleece lined and merino wool base layers are great for keeping you warm while wicking away moisture. Cotton will absorb your sweat and weigh you down, making you feel colder.
- Add a layer of insulation that will allow for full range of motion such as a performance vest or pullover.
- Finally, add a protective shell that is waterproof as it will be light and dry.
Consider the temperature and add about 20 degrees as this is closer to how you will feel while working out. Example: If it’s -10 degrees, you will feel as if it is +10 degrees. An added bonus to layering is you can easily remove items as you heat up and bundle up again when you’re done.
Protect your ears and consider investing in waterproof gloves.
Footwear:
Hiking boots are recommended and crampons might be helpful if it’s icy. You can wear sneakers, but know that they will get wet so have a warm pair of wool socks on and plan time to dry your sneakers out after.
Don’t forget to bring your mat and sunscreen!
Given that it’s cold outside the workout does not include a stretch or cool down period; instead MoFitness advises stretching at home post-workout. A good stretch in a warm shower after an outdoor workout feels amazing!
There are plenty of perks that accompany an outdoor workout including: Vitamin D for your immune system, a boost in your metabolism, reducing symptoms of depression (being in nature helps in general), mental stamina (have you heard of Wim Hof?!), and the opportunity to socialize – safely distanced, of course.
Don’t let Montreal’s winter weather prevent you from meeting your fitness goals!
Winter Bootcamp Schedule: Saturday 10-10:45 am in Parc Georges Saint Pierre
Winter Bootcamp Officially Ends March 30th, 2021 at which point we will resume our SWEAT in The Park Class Series
Check out our Winter Bootcamp Promo Video
Winter Bootcamp Classes are held in Park Georges Saint Pierre (Upper Lachine/Oxford)
OUR TOP WINTER FITNESS GEAR RECOMMENDATIONS:
We are not affiliated with any brands, we have just found that these brands offer warmth, comfort and are generally affordable.
UnderArmour Cold Gear. Base layer long sleeve shirts are a staple for me biking to work and conducting Winter Bootcamp classes. Go to the outlet at Marche Centrale for the best prices. We also wear their gloves for class.
Baleaf fleece lined leggings. Available on Amazon for about 40$, I wore these for every Winter Bootcamp class and also just on regular walk around days. They mute the bite of the cold on your legs.
Icebreaker Merino Wool Neck warmer
Quechua Hiking Boots from Decathlon If you don’t want to spend a ton on boots you won’t wear that often, the Decathlon brand is great. I actually ended up wearing mine more than my other boots!
Decathlon is a great shop that provides a lot of awesome gear at an incredibly affordable price. The sizes for clothing run a bit small (European sizing) but if you want to participate in Winter Bootcamp but don’t want to invest a ton of money, you’ll be able to find a lot here.
I also bought a fleece jacket from Old Navy that I wear as my insulation layer under my Columbia hard shell. On really cold days I just wear my regular winter jacket (Burton snowboard jacket). You will remove at least 1 layer during the workout. I usually ended up in my Underarmour base layer after about 10 minutes.