How to Make the Most of Winter Training

For most of the country, the winter season can always be long. Cold weather, unfavorable conditions with freezing rain, ice, and the dreaded “S” word - SNOW!

The winter weather can always throw a “wrench” into our training. Growing up in Western New York, winters were tough. Snow could hit as early as Mid-October and last until Mid-Late April maybe even early May. It can be difficult to stay motivated, especially if you don’t have access to a full-size soccer field or short-sided indoor field. Also who wants to wake up in sub-20-degree weather for 4 months or run in a foot of snow!

So, if you are limited with space, or can’t get outside due to the “elements” then you have to improvise and start using those great “cardio machines” aka treadmills, elliptical, stationary bikes or spin bikes, octanes, stair steppers, etc, the list goes on and on. I know from personal experience that the treadmill can get boring fast.

-How do we get the most out of winter training?

-How can we still maintain a high level of fitness when we don’t have the ideal space, or the weather is not ideal for 4-6 months?

First off - - We need to have the right mentality. Understand your current situation, accept it, and use it to your advantage.

Secondly, having different cardio machines available to you is an advantage not a disadvantage. Let me explain, a lot of people don’t like using the cardio machines because they are indoors and don’t go anywhere. However, if you use them properly you can work on different forms of cardiovascular training and fitness that you wouldn’t normally work on in an outdoor setting. Also, once we learn how to use the indoor machines correctly, we can then incorporate them into normal training when the weather changes.

Here we are going to discuss how to use certain cardio equipment and get the most out of it.

-The Treadmill

Ah Yes, the dreaded treadmill! Everyone’s favorite; running on the treadmill for days and weeks on end can get very tedious. However, you can use it to your advantage, by varying up the runs and pace. We go from a from a “low and slow”, to a sprint interval, to a longer-paced interval, but also by keeping it specific to your referee fitness! We can also do testing such VO2 max and lactate threshold testing on them. You can also change the settings on the incline from 1.0-10.0 and work on leg strength and explosive speed. Also, what I like about the treadmill, is its overspeed work. Some treadmills only go up to 10.0mph but if you have a treadmill that exceeds that pace, like 14.0-20.0, you can work at a faster pace then maybe you would outside.

-The Stair-Stepper

I am big fan of this one, but only the individual leg one. The stair stepper that has the best benefit is where each foot has its own piston and you have to keep a very good pace with each leg, while also maintaining proper posture. I don’t mind the other ones where it is an actual step that comes out and keeps turning over into a new step, however I found that individual legs ones work the best. This machine is unique because it has the ability to work on leg endurance, leg strength, and explosiveness. Depending on tempo/pace and resistance, it can provide a great aerobic and/or anaerobic session. Also, because it works each leg individually it also helps with unilateral training, making sure both legs are equally balance

-Stationary Bikes, Spin Bikes, Ellipticals/Octanes

These cardio machines are low impact - - meaning it is less stressful on the joints and can aid in keeping your cardio system strong if dealing with an injury. You can get a great workout on any of these machines, and they provide a good “change of pace” instead of the treadmill. What is important to keep in mind with these machines is that you may experience localized muscular fatigue before feeling you are winded from a cardiovascular standpoint. Also, with these machines you will be able to add or lessen resistance based on how much you need or want.

-Small Sided indoor field/Indoor Basketball Courts/Indoor Tennis Courts/Raquetball Courts

If you want to change it up again some more with the running or cardio-vascular training small spaces work just as well as big spaces! Maybe you don’t access to a full indoor field or a small indoor field during those winter months, but sometimes a basketball court, an indoor tennis court, or racquetball court is all that you need to work on some short sprint, quickness/agility, or explosiveness. This is ideal for smaller spaces and can be worked a lot easier than being on a treadmill.

Now, everyone’s favorite topic during the winter season - WEIGHT TRAINING!

It is an essential part of our training program during the winter months. However, it’s important that you change your routine every four to eight weeks, pending what your goals are. Try not to get lost in the same routine, this can lead to staleness and lower intensity. Also, we need to know that the winter can tempt us with eating more and trying to get on a “bulk” or “weight gain” lifting routine. While there is a time and place for this, it’s important our routine keeps changing and keep our bodies dynamic for the upcoming season.

Lastly, what is most important during these winter months is have a clear vision or goal of where you want to be at the end of it. The more specific the fitness goal, the better! Don’t just have a goal of

-“I WANT TO INCREASE MY REFEREE FITNESS”

That is too broad, you need something like

-“I WANT TO INCREASE MY SPRINT SPEED AND GET FASTER”

or

“I WANT TO PASS THE WOMEN’S CATEGORY 1 FIFA FITNESS TEST!”

Once you have your main goals set, then focus on smaller ones to achieve the bigger ones, such as completing high intensity running intervals twice a week or getting stronger legs to put more force into the ground to get faster. Also to help referee’s stay motivated, I always recommend writing your goals on a piece of paper and hanging them in a place, where you can see them everyday. If you see your goals when you wake up every morning or before you go to bed at night, it will help re-enforce good daily habits of pursuing those goals and give them extra motivation.

BE FEARLESS in stating your dreams

BE RELENTLESS in pursuing those dreams

Always TRAIN WITH HEART