Just because it’s freezing outside doesn’t mean you have to take your workout indoors. In fact, there are several ways to burn tons of calories while toning your entire body, all while making the most out of your winter wonderland. New York-based trainer Ramona Braganza, whose celebrity client list includes Ashlee Simpson, Jessica Alba and Halle Berry, gives LivingHealthy the lowdown on the five best outdoor winter workouts—including how many calories you’ll burn, which muscles are used, what to wear and tips to avoid injuries.
5 Fat-Busting, Calorie-Burning and Body-Toning Outdoor Winter Workouts
Workout: Snow Shoveling
Why it’s great: Kill two birds with one stone by shoveling snow for 45 minutes—it burns up to 300 calories.
What muscles it works: Shoveling works the legs, glutes, core and torso, and it’s particularly great for the back shoulders and arms, according to Braganza.
What to wear: Wickable, breathable clothing. Layer to keep warm.
How to avoid injury: “Make sure to do some trunk rotations and forward folds to warm up the spine,” she advises. (For rotations: Standing tall, exhale and roll down, beginning with the head, then torso, reaching your hands toward the ground. Keep knees slightly bent if you have tight hamstrings. On an inhale, roll back up to stand. For forward folds: Start standing with feet hip width apart and arms extended to the side. On an exhale, rotate torso as far around to the right as possible, and then on an inhale, rotate back to start. Repeat to the left.) “Make sure to bend your knees as you lift the snow in the shovel, doing a squat. Next, don’t just toss snow; rather, carry it to where you want to dump it. Keep your core tight as you rotate. You can also simply push the snow rather than shoveling and add some lunges as you push.”
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Workout: Ice Skating
Why it’s great: A low-impact activity, ice skating is excellent for improving balance and coordination. A bonus: It can burn 300 to 700 calories per hour, depending on how fast you skate.
What muscles it works: “You use a lot of stabilizer muscles in the hips, knees and ankles that you don’t normally use, as well as larger muscles like the butt, legs and core,” says Braganza.
What to wear: Thin wool or fitness socks for the skates.
How to avoid injury: Most skating injuries happen due to falling and usually occur on the wrists, tailbone or the back of the head. Braganza suggests bending your knees instead of keeping your legs locked out. That way, if you fall, you do so on your side.
Photo: Getty Images
Workout: Cross-Country Skiing
Why it’s great: It burns up to 600 calories in 30 minutes—mostly because you’re going up and down a hill.
What muscles it works: Also a total-body workout, cross-country skiing trains cardio and strength as well as agility and balance.
What to wear: “A highly aerobic activity that generates a lot of body heat, your clothes need to protect from the elements while allowing sweat to ventilate away,” Braganza explains. “Wear a soft shell as an outer layer that has a durable water-repellent finish as well as several light layers like light pants, gloves and a hat.”
How to avoid injury: Preseason training is a must! Braganza suggests doing something that uses leg muscles to build strong quads and hamstrings. Also, include flexibility training.
Photo: Getty Images
Workout: Snowshoeing
Why it’s great: “This winter workout has been around for thousands of years and is great for backcountry hikes,” Braganza says. “And it’s a great sport for those who normally like running because it’s easy to learn and generally inexpensive.” In 30 minutes, snowshoeing can burn 300 calories.
What muscles it works: Snowshoeing trains legs, glutes, the core and the upper body like the arms, shoulders and back. It combines cardio and strength as well as agility, balance and endurance.
What to wear: Wear pretty much the same clothing as you would for cross-country skiing, but make sure to wear comfortable shoes or boots, like lightweight, waterproof hiking boots or other insulated winter footwear.
How to avoid injury: There is little risk of injury, according to Braganza.
Photo: Getty Images
Workout: Snowboarding
Why it’s great: Snowboarding builds strength, endurance, flexibility and balance, not to mention offering major cardio benefits. You can burn up to 450 calories in an hour. Furthermore, “being outdoors for this and other sports reduces anxiety and benefits your mental health,” Braganza adds.
What muscles it works: Snowboarding works all major muscles in the body, including the feet and ankles. The lower body is used when boarding down a mountain, while the upper body is used to help keep your balance and pick you up when you fall.
What to wear: Wear the same clothing as for cross-country skiing.
How to avoid injury: “To avoid wrist injury, make sure to wear wrist guards,” says Braganza. “Also, wear a helmet and make sure to warm up and stretch.”
Photo: Getty Images
5 Fat-Busting, Calorie-Burning and Body-Toning Outdoor Winter Workouts
December 14, 2015Recommended for you
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Posted on 9:45 am PST December 14 2015 by Leah Ornstein Groth
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