What Clothes to Wear While Working out & Training Outside?

Many outdoors enthusiasts take their exercising into the open air, making nature their gym of choice. While working out outdoors can provide the opportunity to fill your lungs with fresh air while burning off calories, it also can present an added challenge when deciding what to wear. Because you'll be exposed to the elements when you train outdoors, selecting the proper outdoor training gear is important for your health and safety.

  1. Hat

    • During the cold weather months, a hat that covers your ears, such as a skiing cap, keeps your tender earlobes from feeling the nip of cold. In the summer, a billed hat keeps the bright and potentially skin-damaging sunlight off of your cheeks as you work out.

    Synthetic Garments

    • Unlike cotton garments that absorb and retain the sweat you'll unavoidably release as you work out, synthetic garments absorb and release this sweat, pulling it away from your body. This is desirable in weather of all types. In overly warm weather, sweat trapped against your body can cause you to overheat. In chilly temperatures, this trapped moisture can lead you to become overly chilled.

    Ultraviolet Protection Factor-Rated Clothing

    • While it may seem that a layer of clothing is enough to prevent sun damage, this may not always be the case. To ensure that the clothing you don while training outdoors keeps you not just covered, but also protected from the sun’s harsh rays, select ultraviolet protection factor-rated, or UPF-rated, clothing or items that block the sun’s harmful rays.

    Fleece Wear

    • During winter months, you'll likely have to fight against the chill while working out outdoors. To stay warm during winter training, slip on a fleece top, placing it over a synthetic undershirt. This warmth-producing top will keep you snug and cozy.

    Thermal Socks

    • Particularly when your feet sweat, as they will when you engage in rigorous exercise, your toes can become cold and even frostbitten. To prevent this, slip on thermal socks, allowing this thick layer of sock to act as a barrier between your feet and the chilly climate outdoors.

    Gloves

    • During the chillier months, protecting your hands is a must as your fingers are particularly prone to frostbite. To keep your digits protected, slip on a pair of synthetic gloves. If it's excessively cold, top these synthetic gloves with a layer of mittens, creating full protection for your hands from the winter chill.