Hockey player Hayley Wickenheiser retired in Banff in 2018.Dave Holland/Canadian Institute of Sport Calgary
Although she herself no longer plays on the ice, retired hockey player Hayley Wickenheiser is still into physical activity. Wickenheiser, who represented Canada at the Olympics and World Championships, did not retire to live a quiet life. Currently, she is a physician at Toronto Western Hospital and works as an assistant general manager for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Despite her busy schedule, she makes time to train her six days a week.
As a winter athlete, Wickenheiser knows all too well the difficulty of training when the weather is harsh. But still, she says, exercise is a form of therapy, and no matter how difficult it can be to go without some form of physical activity. So she found a way to make it work by establishing a routine that was easy to stick to, motivating herself to get outside, and modifying her workouts so she could do them anywhere. This is how she maintains her health.
Let’s go out in the morning
Due to his busy schedule, Wickenheiser usually only has the early mornings to focus on training. But she knows how difficult it can be to motivate yourself to exercise in the first place, especially in the dark, cold winter months.
“This winter has been tough,” she said, noting that Toronto is even darker than usual. “I really like the sun, especially after living in Calgary for so many years.”
To get out of bed in the morning, Wickenheiser first goes outside, where the cold and light wake him up and rejuvenate him.
“It always leaves me feeling fresh and energized for the rest of the day,” she says. Her daytime awareness also increases as the morning light hits her face. “It’s very important to get her head out within the first hour,” she says.
Early-born birds like Wickenheiser enjoy many benefits. Research shows that exercising before noon is the key to a healthy life. A study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that morning physical activity, regardless of the amount of exercise, was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
spend more time warming up
It may seem obvious, but warming up is important in the winter (especially if you’re exercising outdoors or at the rink). Warming up your muscles is important regardless of temperature (it nourishes your muscles and your cardiovascular system), but when it’s cold, it’s the only way to avoid muscle pull injuries, Wickenheiser says. “It’s very important to keep your body flexible when it’s cold. Your core body temperature needs to be high enough to avoid pulling muscles and injuring yourself,” she says. “You have to make sure the joints are oiled and mobile.”
Your warm-up should include dynamic stretches like walking lunges, leg swings, and arm rotations to get your muscles ready for action. Dynamic stretching has also been proven to increase range of motion and flexibility, helping to avoid overextension and injury. Exercising in the cold can accelerate the vasoconstrictive response, narrowing blood vessels and leading to a decrease in muscle temperature and performance, so it’s important to prepare your muscles.
Interval training to make the most of your time
Interval training is a good way to increase strength while reducing training time. Wickheiser says she relies on interval work when she’s pressed for time, and in the winter she does it to reduce the amount of time she spends outdoors.
Research shows that high-intensity interval training (also known as HIIT) has all sorts of physical health benefits. It lowers the risk of diseases such as breast cancer, colon cancer, and cardiovascular disease, increases metabolic rate, and reduces body fat mass. Reduces arthritis and reduces risk of falls in older adults. HIIT can also improve your mental health and reduce feelings of depression and anxiety.
mix
A major reason why exercise becomes a chore is falling into a rut with your exercise habits. Varying up your exercise routine instead of doing the same sets every day not only reduces boredom but also gives you the opportunity to work on different parts of your body and fitness. Wickenheiser himself plans to do stair training, swimming, HIIT, boxing, treadmill exercise, riding his bike, and doing sprints on the ice.
“You have to keep the volatility high,” she says. “It’s a fitness routine I’ve had since I was training for the Olympics.”