Ah, winter – the season of mulled wine, warm hugs, cosy sheets, passionate intercourse, Christmas, and gifts.
Oh, wait, there is something missing.
What is it, though?
It’s called working out, exercising, or training.
And, for me at least, it is literally out there – in the snow with the bars.
Those for muscle-ups, pull-ups, and chin-ups, not those for drinking (although a drink won’t be that bad an idea when it is -7 [and the sub-zero, glacial wind adds up to -14 C], will it?)
Alright, if you live on an exotic, tropical island at the moment, you might not have that issue. You are welcome to join us in in the Northern hemisphere in January.
And work out together… in the snow.
See, working out outside is a piece of cake when it’s warm, isn’t it?
The real deal and the ultimate test of your stupidity motivation is to challenge your courage and gigantic muscles when the mercury of the thermometers is below freezing.
“To whom do I need to prove anything?” you would ask. “I can just do something at home for the next two-three months and then decapitate that extra belly fat in May and June just before it’s time to hit the beach.”
WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. And WRONG again.
Summer bodies are carved out in winter, my dear readers.
It’s not impossible to create that summer body everyone else you would love in a couple of months, but let’s face it – if you have been idling all winter, drinking alcohol and stuffing yourself with turkey, banitsa, or biscuits, chances of that happening vary from slim to wiry.
Miracles do happen and not only around Christmas but also at any other day during the year when you put enough effort and apply your “wounded” mood with kick dose of patience.
“But, Svet, how about going to the gym? Why do I need to go to the bars? I want to show-off there where the ladies can contemplate my fake brachialis!”
Did you see what I wrote there?
I am not saying gyms are bad, but the idea of going there just to brag after you have lifted (twice) some weights which cannot impress a 12-year old girl is totally WRONG.
Oh, did I hurt your lazy hiney?
I am content I did and that I made you think.
Stop finding excuses and start discovering ways to do it.
Start shovelling snow if it’s in your way.
Begin creating a plan to not skip a day of working out instead of thinking what movie to download.
After you have successfully scooped out the snow and you have flexed your muscles, after your nose is red-coloured and dripping, after your tears have frozen on your cheeks, after you feel like mountains are just a tiny object…
…then you are ready to relax…
…because relaxing is also of paramount importance for your motivation to come back stronger than ever; for your music to be even more pounding; and for your body to shine more ripped than Bruce Lee’s abdomen.
If I had you motivated to go out and be the bulldozer king, let me first share some tips on how to not freeze to death sickness and start sneezing, coughing, and whining.
- Get out with the proper gear – this includes a warm hat, gloves with a good grip, appropriate shoes (don’t use slippery sneakers, please) and probably a scarf (but not one that would hinder your exercises, just something that would keep your mouth warm).
- Before you start working out, make sure to warm up. Our bodies have been idle all day at home and an occasional stretching is essential to thwart any unwanted injuries.
- If plan to stay more than 20 minutes outside, you are officially insane (message me your address so I can send you a personal greeting). Don’t forget to take some water with you – dehydration is also possible in winter.
- After you come back home, prepare a feast for yourself, you deserve it. This should include consuming garlic and drinking ginger tea to annihilate any viruses and eating high-calory food that would help you recover.
- Don’t forget to charge your food to reap the most benefits of it, and destroy the bars next time you go there.
Wait a minute, I almost forgot the most important thing – what you get from working out in the freezing weather?
- First of all, doing it on a daily basis builds habits.
- It immeasurably boosts your confidence.
- You not only strengthen your body but also your mind.
- You will much more rarely catch a cold and if you do, you will overcome it twice as quickly.
- And, finally, it makes you feel good, great, and even wonderful. And that’s the crucial point here.
If you feel good about it, then what everybody else thinks about it fades away as quickly as it emerged.
Let’s go working out together in the snow, shall we?