Just as you’ve convinced yourself that 2026 will be the year that you and fitness finally become friends, a cold snap threatens to knock you off course before you’ve even begun.
The UK Health Security Agency has set amber warnings for the coming days, as temperatures are set to drop to -8 degrees Celsius in Durham and Northumberland in the north-east, and Lancashire, Cumbria and Cheshire in the north-west as well as in Scotland.
But does the incoming freeze mean you should ditch outdoor workouts altogether? Here’s what exercising in the cold really does to your body.
What happens to the body when exercising in low temperatures?
“Exercising in the cold can be genuinely beneficial when approached with pragmatic intent rather than just post-Christmas bravado,” says Matt Roberts, personal trainer and founder of Evolution fitness club.
One of the greatest benefits of frigid weather he says can be on heart health – important, given 7.6m people in the UK have cardiovascular disease. Although it comes with safety warnings.
Cold conditions increase thermogenic demand, meaning the body has to work harder to pump blood around the body. As your core temperature drops, the blood vessels beneath the skin narrow. This vasoconstriction “often results in a slightly lower heart rate for a given workload and improved efficiency”, Roberts explains.
This can make cardiovascular exercise like running more beneficial, he adds – “but only if you are not too cold”.
Do cold workouts affect the brain?
Mentally, “cold training develops resilience, because it requires planning, discipline and control, along with a never give up attitude”, says Roberts.
According to a 2023 paper in the journal Nature, walking outdoors (as opposed to indoors) had a positive impact on cognitive function, improving participants’ reaction times, while this year [2025], a study published in the journal Healthcare found that “outdoor activity frequency significantly alleviated depressive mood”. This is all the more crucial during winter, when rates of seasonal affective disorder affect an estimated 2m Brits, according to the NHS.
A large meta-analysis published in 2023 showed that physical activity was 1.5 times more likely to reduce moderate symptoms of depression, psychological stress and anxiety than antidepressants or cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT); other research has shown that outdoor exercise promotes the body’s release of dopamine, serotonin and endorphins, all naturally-produced chemicals that boost our mood.
This, along with the vitamin D taken in from being outside while you exercise, make cold-weather exercising as important mentally as it is for physical fitness.
What are the risks?
Employed properly, says Roberts, “cold exposure is a stressor that strengthens systems. Used poorly, it simply adds risk”.
One of the ways to mitigate this is by warming up indoors before launching into an al fresco routine. A 2016 study in Bone & Joint Research showed that exercising in temperatures below 32C was more likely to result in injury, with the paper’s authors suggesting their findings highlighted “the importance of not only ensuring that the muscle groups are well stretched, but also that all muscle groups are warmed to core temperature in pre-exercise routines”.
Roberts warns: “Frozen surfaces are less compliant or forgiving, increasing reaction forces that travel through the foot, ankle, knee and hip. Over time, this could increase stress on cartilage and connective tissue, particularly if stride length is long or foot strike is heavy. Reduced traction compromises running stability, making slips and sudden corrective movements the biggest injury risk.”
Setting off on a 5k without any preamble is ill-advised. Roberts explains: “Cold reduces muscle elasticity, tendon response and nerve conduction, which could increase the likelihood of strains, pulls and joint irritation, particularly during sudden changes in pace, direction or terrain.”
There is also the matter of sharply intaking cold air while outdoors, which can irritate the airways and cause coughing (particularly among those with the likes of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).
For those unused to exercising outside in winter, ease into your new regime by picking activities that leave you able to talk, but not sing – a little breathlessness will achieve the same cardiovascular and mental benefits.
Does gear matter?
Yes. Safe winter running requires more than a “heroic attitude”, Roberts warns. Appropriate shoes can make a difference to reducing injury risk, as can shorter strides, higher cadence, and softer foot contact with the ground.
Some of this can be optimised via gait analysis or picking the right trainers. Find ones that prioritise grip, and can handle challenging terrains and weathers. “Winter running is about durability, not speed,” Roberts says. “Pace should drop, and volume [total distance over time] should be more modest.”
How cold is too cold?
When out in the cold, the body loses heat faster than it can produce it, especially during slower activities like yoga. This increases the risk of hypothermia, of which signs include intense shivering, fatigue, and slurred speech. Older adults are at the greatest risk of developing it, but it can affect anyone whose core body temperature drops below 35C (normal temperature is 37C).
Layering appropriately is crucial when exercising outside. There are mixed results regarding which body parts lose the most heat when exposed to cold weather, but it is widely agreed that old wives’ tales about 50 per cent dissipating through the head aren’t accurate.
Instead, prioritise covering any area where bare skin might be exposed to freezing air. Base layers – and taking an extra layer with you, in case the chill hits harder than anticipated – are especially good as they tend to be made from wicking fabrics, which retain heat when the body is wet from sweat or rain, shifting moisture away from your skin to the surface of your clothing instead. (Windbreakers and waterproof outer layers are also a good idea.)
Can I ease in slowly?
If you’re not yet ready to commit to cold exercising, take it in stages. Where outdoor swimming is concerned, you could begin with frigid showers to get used to the sensation before attempting an unheated pool or lido.
Then, undertake one length per degree Celsius the water is. It may not sound like a lot, but the cold will slow you down far more than you think. For running, begin with shorter distances, building up over time.
Should fitness newbies avoid cold workouts?
“Baseline strength, coordination and tissue tolerance are lower” among those starting out, explains Roberts, meaning that cold conditions “will magnify weaknesses rather than specifically create fitness gains”. If you are committed to starting a new outdoor regimen, he advises prioritising gradual exposure to cold climes, longer warm-ups, and low to medium intensity activities, like brisk walks or cycling.
For the advanced exerciser, outdoor workouts “can be highly beneficial, but cold training is not just a test of toughness, it’s actually a test of preparation”.
How to recover
While peeling layers off and jumping in a hot shower may be tempting after a wet workout, slow and steady is a better strategy.
Getting dry and having a cup of tea can gradually get you temperate again; rushing things runs the risk of drawing the warmed blood in your core to the skin, where it cools more quickly, triggering a potential blood pressure drop.
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