Non-fiction:Winter Workouts

Winter Workouts
By Chris Hayhurst

Dont let the cold prevent you from staying fit.

Instead, take advantage of all that winter offers.

Are you among the winter wearythe type for whom snow or ice or just
plain cold spells an end to exercise and the start of a long hibernation? If so,
you might want to listen to Gary Sforzo. Hes a professor of exercise and
sports sciences at Ithaca College in upstate New York (where winter
temperatures routinely drop into the teens and the record low is21 degrees
Fahrenheit), and he has studied people like you. Hes come to a conclusion:
Get out there, he says. Get out of your house. Just dont slip on the ice.

Too cold? Too windy? Sforzo has no sympathy. If youre an otherwise

regular exerciser, he notes, and you choose not to exercise in cold
weather, youll potentially lose whatever benefits you gained during the rest
of the year.

Where You Are

What feels cold, of course, depends on the individual. If you live in Southern
California, a low in the 40s might seem freezing, and just going for a walk
might feel like an adventure. If, on the other hand, you live in Vermont, as
Brittany L., 16, and Libby G., 17, do, a winter day with temps in the 40s
feels downright balmy. When its cold in Vermont, eyebrows grow icicles.
And kids like Brittany and Libby go skiing.

Even when its freezing out, says Brittany, once you get to the top of the
mountainafter riding the lift or hiking upall you have to do is just let
yourself go. Its a blast.

Libby agrees, saying nothing quite compares to carving a tight turn down a
steep ski slope. Its totally exhilarating.

Brittany and Libby, it should be noted, are top tier winter athletes. They both
attend high school at Vermonts Stratton Mountain School, a sports academy
for skiers and snowboarders. And theyve both been nominated to the 2012
U.S. Ski Teams Alpine Development Teama training program for potential
future Olympians. In other words, the girls are well on their way to big-time
skiing careers. So, that winter cold? Whatever. As long as you put enough

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 Non-fiction:Winter Workouts

clothes on, says Libby, no matter what level youre at, you can have a
great time.

Brittanys advice is similar. If youre having fun, you wont even think about
the cold.

Theres No Ice Here!

Of course, you dont need cold weather and the great outdoors to enjoy
winter sports. In cold regions, frozen ponds and lakes provide great
opportunities for skating, whether its figure skating, speed skating, or even
a brisk game of ice hockey. Indoor rinks offer hockey and figure skating
programs for teens at any level nationwideeven in Kissimmee, Fla., where
the average high temperature in December is 73 degrees F.

Figure skating is a great way to express yourself, not only athletically but
also artistically, says 16-year-old Irena U., who trains at the Ice Factory in
Kissimmee. You get to try new things all the time, she says. You can
really be creative.

Irena says she first tried skating during a family visit to Canada when she
was 4 years old. Now, she says, she competes year-round, is working on
landing her triple jumps, and hopes to one day compete on the national
level. And yes, when shes carrying around her skates in the hot Florida
sunshine, she does get funny looks. Theyre like, How do you skate?
Theres no ice here!

Winter Bounty

Remember what Sforzo said about losing those hard-earned benefits that
come only from exercise? If you like being active, theres no reason you
should stop in winterno matter where you live. Instead, consider your
options:

If you like using gravity to set you in motion, and you live in a snowy area,
try snowboarding or skiing, two great sports for building strong legs and
lungs. If youre a beginner, see whether you can borrow equipment from a
friend or rent some. Most ski areas will have equipment for rental, and
theyll make sure the equipment fits you properly and you have all the safety
gear you need.

Cross-country skiers have it even easier. Once you have your gear (again,
see whether you can borrow some at first), you may be able to ski just

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 Non-fiction:Winter Workouts

about anywhere. Many parks, golf courses, and athletic fields are open to
cross-country skiers during the slow, snow-covered months.

Not interested in skiing or snowboarding, but the white stuff outside makes
it hard to do much else? All is not lost: Just strap on a pair of snowshoes!
Tristan M. , 15, of Colorado Springs, Colo., tried it last winter when he joined
his coaches and friends from the school track and cross-country teams for a
cold-weather trip high into the mountains. We hiked 6 miles out in
snowshoes, carrying big backpacks, then we stayed the night in a hut and
hiked back the next morning, he recalls. It was different than running, but
it used the same muscles. It was challenging, but we had fun.

Another way to get out there during the winter requires no special
equipment at all, and you can do it whether theres snow or not. Just take a
hike! Bring along a camera and a picnic lunch, and make a day of it. Who
says you can only enjoy the outdoors when its sunny and 70 degrees?

Hit the Trail (or Slope)!

If theres snow near you on January 7, you may be able to learn an all-new
winter sport or two for free. Each year on Winter Trails Day, about 11,000
people try out snowshoeing and cross-country skiing at locations around the
U.S. Find a Winter Trails Day event near you at www.wintertrails.org.

Mistikas/Getty Images

Are you more interested in skiing or snowboarding? Youre in luck! January

is Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month. You can take part in it at snow sport
locations nationwide.

Find out more about both of those sports, and how to get started, at
www.skiandsnowboardmonth.org and www.winterfeelsgood.com.

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 Non-fiction:Winter Workouts

Wired for Winter

Think youre ready for the cold? Here are a few tips for beginners:

Mandy Godbehear/iStock

Dress warmly. But be sure to wear layers you can shed if you get too hot.

Do a warm-up. Before you do anything strenuous, get your heart rate and
body temperature up, recommends Ithaca Colleges Gary Sforzo. So if
youre about to compete in a snowshoe race, for example, start with an easy
10-minute jog.

Pick your day carefully. If youre looking to build a love for any sport, it
starts on the good days, says Eric Harlow, head womens ski coach at
Stratton Mountain School in Vermont. Once youre proficient and having
fun, then the cold or rainy days wont matter as much.

Once you start, dont stop. As long as youre moving, theres no fear of
hypothermia, says Sforzo. Its when a hiker stops for lunch, for example,
and their body cools down, that it becomes dangerous.

Be safe. If youre headed downhill on skis or a snowboard, wear a helmet,

for instance. Check with those in the know to make sure you have the
correct safety equipment for the activity youre trying.

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 Questions: Winter Workouts

Name: __ Date: _______________________

1. Which activity was described in the passage as a winter workout?

A ice fishing
B figure skating
C ballet dancing
D snowman building

2. Sometimes the cold can cause a problem by preventing people from exercising. What
solution is given in the passage for this problem?

A Go to sleep until the cold weather is over.

B Go to a heated gym to workout.
C Go skiing or snowboarding.
D Go to Florida to exercise where it is warmer.

3. What character trait do Brittany L., Libby G. and Irena U. all have in common?

A They are all ambitious.

B They are all indifferent.
C They are all unhappy.
D They are all impatient.

4. As used in the passage, hibernation means

A to train for the Olympics

B to be less active
C to exercise indoors
D to pretend you are a bear

5. The primary purpose of this passage is to

A show the reader different activities that can keep them fit in the cold
B inform the reader of the best mountains to snowboard or ski
C persuade the reader that ice hockey is the best winter sport
D explain to the reader why safety equipment is important for winter activities

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 Questions: Winter Workouts

6. What are some tips that the author gives to people that want to exercise in the cold?

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7. Why would it be a problem to stop exercising during the winter months?

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8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes
the sentence.

You can have a great time in the cold, ________ you should remember to dress warmly
in layers.

A because
B but
C after
D until

9. Answer the questions based on the sentence below.

Irena first tried skating during a family visit to Canada when she was 4 years old.

Who? Irena

(did) What? ________________________________________________________________________

Where? _____________________________________________________________________________

When? ________________________________________________________________
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 Questions: Winter Workouts

10. Read the vocabulary word and definition below and complete questions 10a, 10b,
and 11.

Vocabulary Word: strenuous (stren u ous): something that takes a lot of energy or
effort.

10a. Read the five sentences below and underline the word strenuous in each
sentence.

1.The night before the runners began the strenuous 26 mile race, they made sure
to eat a big pasta dinner to give their body enough energy for the next day.

2.The dancer was very tired at the end of the performance because he had danced
in three strenuous ballets.

3.All of the students that played soccer in gym class felt it was a strenuous activity
and they were glad to sit down and rest when it was done!

4.Because of her knee injury, the doctor told the athlete that she could not do
strenuous exercise for 6 weeks so that she could heal properly.

5.As the group hiked across the desert, they were surprised at how the heat made
the activity seem even more strenuous.

10b. Which image shows a strenuous activity?

11. Would walking slowly from the door of your classroom to your seat be considered a
strenuous activity? Explain.

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