Fitman, owner of the Fitman Performance & Physique Center in Roslyn, says you can sprint during the winter. But you must take precautions.

“When it gets cold, most people, including athletes, don’t want to sprint outside,” Fitman said. “But it can be done.”

What About Indoor Tracks?

“With access to a legit 200-meter indoor track, or if you live in a warm climate, you can sprint year-round,” Fitman said. “When I ran track for East Stroudsburg University, I had that indoor track access. I could still do speed work from November to March, with no weather-related changes to the program.”

“I didn’t realize the blessing I had at the time because I was too immature to appreciate it,” Fitman said. “But indoor tracks are not like commercial gyms. For the large majority of indoor tracks, you cannot get a membership to them.”

“Most of these indoor track facilities exist at colleges and universities. The new Ott Center at the University of Pennsylvania will have public access during the winter. But that’s only one indoor track.”

Sprinting Risks

Fitman said that the main risk of sprinting in cold weather is a greater chance of injury. “Your body warms up easily at a warm 80°F, but it struggles to warm up at a cold 30°F,” Fitman said. “I’ve lived in the Philadelphia area my whole life. I have never looked forward to sprinting when it’s 30°F outside. But even though the weather gets bad, I have never injured myself while sprinting in the winter.”

“Staying healthy has not happened by accident. To reduce your risk of injury while sprinting in weather under 40°F, you must do two things.”

1) Reduce Your Speed

“Some athletes get hurt when they sprint in cold weather,” Fitman said. “The primary reason is that they are still trying to hit their top speeds from the summer.”

“From my experience, it’s best to put a governor switch on your speed until the weather warms up. You can still get quality work in if you stay in the 80–85 percent range of your maximum speed.”

2) Use The Hill

Fitman said that winter is an excellent season for an athlete to commit to doing hill sprints.

“The hill has a natural incline,” the USATF masters’ sprinter said. “You cannot reach your maximum speed on it.” You would still need to warm up and take the proper precautions to reduce your injury risk.”

“One of my classic training techniques is to sprint hills all winter. Then, I transition back to the track in the spring. Sprinting on the hill in the winter is tougher. You face the incline and that heartless beast known as the cold,” Fitman said.

“You may not be able to do true speed work when it’s cold out. But when you show up to the track in the spring, you will be in excellent shape.”

“Finally, I do not advise you sprinting in extreme cold or on icy, snowy ground. Use good judgement before your sprint during the winter.”

Fitman’s 16 Week Physique Revolution

To get the unvarnished truth about natural bodybuilding, athletic performance, fitness/health, and to purchase Fitman’s eBooks, follow him at: https://fitmanperformance.com/16-week-physique-revolution/

Books:

• Use Speed To Get Lean!
• The Sprinting Handbook For Lifters.
• How To Build A Sprinter Body
• The Ultimate Sprinter Warm-Up

Website:
FitmanPerformance.com

Social Media:
Instagram: @FitmanEB
Tik Tok: @FitmanEB
X: @FitmanEB
YouTube: @FitmanEB
Facebook: @Fitman

For all the latest news, follow us on Facebook or sign up for Glenside Local’s “Daily Buzz” newsletter here.