Indoor, outdoor fitness vastly different; here’s how

 

Posted on March 3, 2014 by Stone Hearth News

  

(Reuters) – Fitness warriors eager to step out of the gym at the first sign of spring should exercise caution, fitness experts say, noting that hitting the open road is more taxing than running on a treadmill, and mountain trails are bumpier than a spinning class.
Even conditioned people may need a period of adjustment to transition safely into working out in the open air.
“The harsher the winter, the more we have to be careful not to come back too fast, too soon,” said exercise physiologist and running coach Tom Holland, who lives in Connecticut. “Even people who are generally fit might do less over the winter.”
When the weather changes, Holland said, many runners try to run too many miles too soon.

  

“The body generally takes about two weeks to acclimate,” he explained, “so give yourself time to build back that base of strength.”
He recommends that regardless of what was done outdoors last fall, a little less should be done in the spring.
“Running on a treadmill is generally easier than outdoor running, so if you’ve been running five miles on a treadmill don’t increase (outdoor) mileage immediately,” he said.
More
Our posts about the benefits of exercise

  

- See more at: http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/indoor-outdoor-fitness-vastly-different-heres-how/fitness/#sthash.UQ2e0kyN.dpuf