Winter Doldrums

[aesop]

Oh frozen-north dwelling kung fu brothers and sisters!

How do you all deal with the winter? I live in Maine, and, as usual around this time of year, my patience with winter is wearing thin. Lots more of it to come, too. There's too much snow on the ground, it's too cold and icy to jog, the lack of sun is f***ing with my vitamin D levels...I'm like a caged animal. Kinda.
Luckily, my body absolutely craps out if I try and practice as much as I do in the warmer months. So training hard (ish ;) ) every day becomes every other day, with some stances or yoga and qigong on off days. This is all very well and good; I mean, it's as nature intended and it is kinda nice to have a break. Plus in my practice, I'm pulling myself up off a big plateau and making some pretty serious structural changes. Seems like I'd need extra rest even if it weren't winter. But, and this is a big but, I am having a helluva time allowing myself to take it easy. For instance, right now my poor lower back is all tender and spasm-y probably from overdoing it on an off day, or maybe scrimping on my warmup.
I guess this comes down to the fact that in the winter, I'm never sure if I'm practicing with the right intensity. Am I being a bum or am I being too hard on myself? How do you all address these sorts of problems? How do you change your training to fit the season? Special super dooper long warmups, or crosstraining, or more internal work, or comforting nourishing foods, or tropical getaways, or...? It looks like it's gonna snow again here, so help me cope!

best, aesop

[yenhoi]

To start with there are lamps and such you can invest in to help with the lack of sun stuff, including knowledge from the east and west on how to deal with yourself mentally and physically in the winter, from meditation to macro cycle theories.

The basic formula is to lighten up the training, make changes, do things a bit differently, and plan for the future. That is probably what we all do in every discipline to some extent or another no matter how severe the winter.

Extra challenges to the immune system during the cold season also, and that impacts your training one way or another eventually. I always catch a cold once a year at least no matter what I do.

:eek:

[RickMatz]

The windchill last Friday here i the Detroit area was -30F. I feel for ya, bro.

Just listen to your body and don't forget what you're trying to achieve.

[SteveLau]

Winter Doldrums,

One should always adjust his training includes his life style as a whole according to his condition. I have been thinking too how come I am less resistant to cold weather than before. Age and thus physical condition is probably a main factor. I have been living in Canada for six years in my twenties. A quick look up in the map shows that the state Maine is in the North along the Altantic coast line. It probably has snow falling in the winter there. The climate change (more extreme weather) we are having now will make things worse. With regards to training, I still train outdoor most of the times even in winter. Longer warm up is also necessary. I am closing to age 50. So starting this year, I cut down in the training volume (duration per session) but not in the intensity nor the frequency.


Regards,

KC
Hong Kong