With the beginning of every new year most people take on resolutions which tends to lean towards either eating healthier or being more active. When wanting to exercise people usually choose to go to the gym which can be expensive. Especially after all those holidays expenses. The gym is great for certain people however I find it hard to confine myself to the indoors while staring at a wall and breathing everyone’s air.
My favorite free winter workout is snowshoeing. It can be done almost anywhere, there are no membership fees and it even clears your mind and sinuses.
Crisp air, snow flakes softly falling and a white magical landscape beat any gym in my mind. Furthermore it’s free and can be visited at no specific hour. Plus you don’t have to wait on anyone to finish their workout in order to use their machine. It can be as if you have your own private gym with the wind and birds as the only sounds.
The beauty of this winter workout is that you can go at which ever pace your prefer, from a gentle stroll to a full on jog. By doing your workout outside in the winter you build your endurance, enhance your immune system and stay in great physical shape. Not to mention how much fun this can be. Additionally more terrain opens itself to exploration in the winter as bogs, ponds and lakes freeze. Remember to always be cautious on thin ice. Visit our adventure page for “Snowshoeing Adventures“.
Equipment
Choosing your snowshoes can be overwhelming with the wide diversity of types. Outdoors and on the go wrote a great article about “Snowshoe Shopping Suggestions“. My 9 year old pair of MSR Evo snowshoes have been on top of mountains from the East coast of Canada to the West coast. Durable, great grip and a heal raiser makes them my personal favorite.
Another great winter workout is snowboarding or skiing. but it can be quite expensive even if you get the early bird rate. Consider working at a Ski Resort to get a free season pass. Check out Wildly Intrepid’s snowboarding adventures.
If you want ideas or trails to go snowshoeing on you can always purchase my book “Hikes of Western Newfoundland” by clicking here.
Alex
Live Wildly Intrepid!
Carpe Diem
