Winter workout clothing guide

While summer allows you to comfortably wear a top and shorts for an outdoor workout, winter requires more thought to be put into your outfit choice. From making sure you wear a suitable amount of layers for your workout, to completing a warm-up before you head out into the cold, there’s a lot of thought needed when it comes to working out in cold weather.

With freezing temperatures and harsh conditions to compete against, choosing suitable clothing that matches the intensity of your workout while helping you stay warm and comfortable can be a challenge. Whether you’re heading out for a run, or performing a team activity outdoors, read our winter workout clothing guide to help you decide on the best gear for exercising in cold conditions, with additional advice on preparing for outdoor winter workouts.

What is the best clothing for exercising in cold weather?

The best clothing to wear for exercising in cold weather can depend on the intensity of your workout. For instance, if you’re doing high-intensity exercise, you may find that you’ll quickly work up a sweat, causing you to warm up and reducing the need for extra layers. In contrast, low-intensity workouts often require the opposite as you won’t be producing sweat as fast, so you’ll need more protection from cold conditions. 

In any instance, however, we recommend that you don’t wear too many layers. This is because, while you’re working out, your body temperature and heart rate increase, causing you to overheat and therefore distracting you from your workout. If you are planning on layering up, you will want to make sure that your clothing is quick drying. This means it moves sweat away from your body, preventing your clothes from becoming damp, which can cause discomfort during your exercise.

Winter sportswear & workout clothes

Whether you’re looking for a complete winter workout outfit to keep you comfortable and focussed on your exercise while outdoors, or you’re searching for a premium jacket to help you stay sheltered from the elements while heading to the gym, there are a wide range of durable and weatherproof options to choose from in our collection of sportswear and leisurewear. No matter your exercise of choice, we’ve listed a few pieces below to help you build a workout-ready outfit.

Men’s winter workout clothes

A versatile piece, our men’s sports gilet is ideal for outdoor workouts of all intensities. If you’re looking to add an extra layer of warmth to your fitness attire, this premium sports gilet presents a functional solution. Made with a water-resistant fabric, the water-repellent features help you stay dry and comfortable, allowing you to fully focus on your workout. 

Another winter sportswear essential, the men’s Evolve hoodie can help protect you from the elements while maintaining comfort. Secured with a full-length zip that allows you to personalise your level of coverage, the hoodie offers a performance-enhancing design complete with a lightweight material for optimum breathability.

Engineered with a minimal appearance and streamlined fit, the simple yet practical men’s Focus workout trousers provide enough coverage to keep you warm when exercising, while the lightweight fabric allows for complete freedom of movement, enabling you to reach peak performance without feeling any discomfort.

Women’s winter workout clothes

Ideal for high-intensity workouts in cold weather, the women’s Enigma overlay is perfect for those looking to blend functionality with breathability and comfort. This versatile women’s overlay is not only streamlined for a stylish design but is complete with a four-way stretch, increasing comfort and range of movement to allow peak performance output.

From lounging to outdoor workouts, the Enigma women’s fleece hoodie can take you from relaxing to any outdoor endeavour. Featuring optimum comfort and practicality through a soft feel, adjustable coverage and a standard fit, this functional hoodie provides an ideal solution for seeing you through most outdoor workouts. An essential addition to your sportswear, this durable layer offers a statement appearance with a vibrant blue colour.

Crafted from a lightweight material, the women’s black Enigma leggings achieve the perfect balance between functionality and style. Whether you’re performing an indoor or outdoor workout, the movable and quick-drying design provides optimum warmth and comfort no matter the conditions. Helping to enhance your agility, the mid-rise design also ensures that you stay supported throughout your workout. 

How should I work out in winter?

While through summer you’re faced with the challenge of contending with the heat and keeping yourself hydrated, winter presents additional challenges including the need to stay both warm and comfortable to help you maintain focus. However, we have several useful tips to help see you through your winter workout, these include:

• Warm up first - Since cold weather requires a longer time to warm up, performing some stretches or exercises before you head out can increase blood flow and body temperature. This can help you stay warm and will prevent the freezing temperatures from getting the better of you. 
• Focus on breathing - In freezing temperatures, breathing can feel painful, which is especially the case when you’re breathing faster from working out. This is because your airways can narrow in the cold, making it more difficult to breathe in and out.  Therefore, taking regular breaks to help slow your breathing can help you stay comfortable and focus on the workout at hand.

• Dress in quick-dry clothing - Make sure all the workout clothes you’re wearing are completely dry and are made from materials that are water-resistant or will dry quickly in unfavourable conditions. This is because being cold and wet can quickly result in you rapidly losing body heat, and this is why you should also always opt for clothes with sweat-wicking materials that move sweat away from your body while working out. 

• Layer up - Not only will you have harsh temperatures to contend with, but you may also be working against poor weather conditions including rain, snow, wind and other elements. This means being prepared with a lightweight base layer, hoodie and water-resistant jacket. However, this can also depend on the intensity of your workouts and how fast you tend to work up a sweat. 

• Protect extremities - Particularly during less intense workouts or if you’ll spend time spectating from the sidelines, we recommend wearing winter accessories, such as hats and gloves, to prevent the cold from getting through and interrupting your workout. If you get too warm, you can always take these off and store them in your pockets.

We recommend completing your outfit with some durable winter accessories such as hats and gloves. Made in a one-size-fits-all style, our winter hats can keep your extremities covered outdoors and are best for low-intensity workouts where you won’t be working up as much of a sweat.

Winter workout clothing at Avec Sport

Whether you’re looking for a water-resistant jacket to keep you sheltered from the elements while exercising outdoors, or you’re searching for a winter accessory to help you stay warm, there’s something to suit workouts of all intensities and levels from the range of sportswear and leisurewear available at Avec Sport.