WARM UP, LAYER UP & DRINK UP
By Melinda Burris Willms
Seasonal change is a fact of life we all must adjust to, but for athletes, who place higher demands on their bodies than the average population, the cooler temperatures Fall and Winter bring require a renewed commitment to standards of athleticism such as the need for a sound warm up before full physical activity begins and a mindful approach to dealing with the elements in order to prevent injury and preserve maximum performance levels.
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Warm-up Adequately and Dress Appropriately
When it comes to warm ups, Coach McGill gives one word of advice repeatedly: “Stretch, Stretch, Stretch” . . . emphasizing the necessity of forming a habit of stretching thoroughly before and after working out early in your track career.[1] Coach McGill stresses that to avoid injury, a host of muscles, including the lower back, the hamstrings, the hip flexors, the groin, and the calves must “be stretched thoroughly before and after a workout.”[2]
Think Layers!
One of the most basic yet, most important ways to prevent injury is to wear warm clothing when you first step out onto the field. Even when the weather is warm, you should do your warm ups in warm clothing. Coach McGill notes that “elite athletes” are always dressed in “spandex and/or warm-up suits when they first arrive on the track” and these layers of warm-up clothing don’t come off until the athletes have “worked up a good sweat.”[3] Here, Coach McGill makes a valid point any athlete would do well to commit to memory: wearing the proper warm-up apparel isn’t simply about dressing properly for the falling temperatures, it is about protecting your body—your instrument—providing it with the layers of insulation it needs until its core temperature has risen to the point that it is ready to perform, thanks to the successful execution of your warm up routine. Respecting your body and giving it time to adjust before proceeding to a full-on workout or competition will improve your ultimate performance, while providing protection against unnecessary, preventable injuries that occur far too often, simply because an athlete has failed to adequately prepare their muscles for the stress of the physical challenges ahead.[4]
It is best to dress in layers because as the list below will demonstrate, each layer has its own function and the layers can work together or separately. When you are too hot or too cold, it is always easier to make the correct body temperature adjustment by either adding the next layer you need or removing one—as opposed to being left to choose between freezing in a short-sleeve t-shirt or overheating in a sweatshirt. Layers give you options and protection to boot!
- Layer 1: Base – This layer should be thin and light weight, and made of moisture wicking material. This fabric does what the name implies; it wicks (or absorbs) the sweat from your skin, which causes the moisture to evaporate more quickly. This will make you more comfortable, but more importantly, drawing the sweat away from your body prevents “chilling when you stop.”[5]
- Layer 2: Outer Layer – This layer should be thin, windproof, and cinchable or feature some other flexible styling that allows the wearer to loosen it if they begin to feel too warm and conversely, a way to tighten it to retain heat when necessary.[6] Layered over the base shirt, a thin windbreaker offers protection from the cold and elements without adding weight that will slow you down.[7]
- Layer 3: Insulation Layer – This layer should be constructed of fabric that is pliable and soft.[8] The insulation layer can be worn in multiple ways: It can be worn directly over the base layer when temperatures are cold, but wind is not a factor; alternatively, it can be worn over the base layer and under the windproof outer layer when the weather is cold and windy; and lastly, this third layer can be used to keep warm between events during long track meets.[9]
These layers of clothing serve two basic functions: To wick or draw the perspiration away from your body, protecting you from getting a chill, and to help you retain the body heat you need to safely perform in cold temperatures.[10]
Dehydration in Winter & Cold Diuresis
It is common to associate risks for dehydration with the hot days of Summer, but the danger of dehydration must be guarded against in cooler temperatures, too. In fact, the body signals dehydration in ways that we find more easily recognizable when it is hot, and we naturally sweat to cool our bodies down. When the heat causes us to sweat, our instinct is to feel thirst, which serves as a natural reminder to replenish the fluid we have lost. When temperatures are cold, this instinct does not compel us to drink in the same way, partly because we do not experience the discomfort of heat. This, in turn, makes us less likely to turn to a drink for relief from sweating in cooler seasons than we normally would be on a hot Summer’s day. This phenomenon makes the likelihood of becoming dehydrated greater in the cold of Winter than in the heat of Summer.[11] It is also important to bear in mind that colder temperatures “can depress feelings of thirst” even though your body still needs regular hydration. Don’t let your senses fool you; continue drinking “about five ounces” of water (or a non-sugary sports drink, if you need to replace electrolytes) “every 20 minutes” just as you normally would to maintain a balanced hydration level.[12]
While the body does lose fluid due to sweating when it’s cold, a key cause of water loss in colder temperatures is humidified breath; cold air holds far less water vapor than warm air, so there is literally less moisture in the air when the weather turns cold.[13] Cold causes your body to lose fluid in yet another way, a phenomenon known as cold diuresis causes you to have to urinate more frequently as a result of your body’s response to the cold. At a certain point, your body reacts to the cold by diminishing circulation to your extremities and the surface of your skin, rerouting that blood volume to your body’s core. This shift of blood volume causes an unexpected “[increase in] the arterial blood pressure.”[14] To cope with this influx, the body attempts to relieve the additional pressure and the kidneys go into overdrive to “reduce the volume of circulating blood by removing water which is lost as urine.”[15] As has been shown, the body can easily become dehydrated during the colder seasons and this fact must be kept in mind and preventative measures taken. Failure to do so can have adverse effects on an individual’s overall health as well as their performance on the field. Be aware of common symptoms of dehydration including muscle cramps, headache, and rapid heart rate.[16]
As Fall conditioning continues and Winter meets approach, don’t let the cold deter you from your continued training and the competition ahead. Remember the common sense rules of warm up preparation that always apply, keep in mind the need to layer up as you dress appropriately for the season ahead, and drink up at regular intervals to stay hydrated and focused on the contest at hand.
Notes
- Steve McGill, “Hurdler Injuries,” Hurdles First, 2005. https://hurdlesfirstbeta.com/free-articles/training-tips/hurdler-injuries/.
[2]. Ibid.
[3]. Ibid.
[4]. Ibid.
[5]. Paul Ward, “Cold Weather and Sport Exercise in Low Temperatures,” 2001. http://www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica%20fact%20file/science/cold-weather-sport.php.
[6]. Ibid.
[7]. Ibid.
[8]. Ibid.
[9]. Ibid.
[10]. Ibid.
- Ibid.
- Tawnee Prazak, “Cold Weather Training and Your Body,” 2017, https://www.active.com/health/articles/cold-weather-training-and-your-body?page=2.
- Ibid.
- Paul Ward, “Cold Weather and Health: How do Cold Temperatures Affect Health and Well-being? The Dangers of Cold,” 2001. http://www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica%20fact%20file/science/cold-weather-health.php#cold_diuresis.
- Ibid.
- Tawnee Prazak.
Bibliography
American Academy of Family Physicians. “Hydration for Athletes.” Family Doctor. Last modified May 2017. https://familydoctor.org/athletes-the-importance-of-good-hydration/
McGill, Steve. “Hurdler Injuries.” Hurdles First. 2005. https://hurdlesfirstbeta.com/free-articles/training-tips/hurdler-injuries/
Prazak, Tawnee. “Cold Weather Training and Your Body.” 2017.
https://www.active.com/health/articles/cold-weather-training-and-your-body?page=2
Ward, Paul. “Cold Weather and Health: How do Cold Temperatures Affect Health and Well-being? The Dangers of Cold.” 2001.
http://www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica%20fact%20file/science/cold-weather-health.php#cold_diuresis
Ward, Paul. “Cold Weather and Sport Exercise in Low Temperatures.” 2001. http://www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica%20fact%20file/science/cold-weather- sport.php
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