How to dress for training outdoors in winter

The right kit is the difference between an hour you enjoy and an hour you spend counting down, and it costs very little. This is the short version, for anyone about to train outdoors at Stave Hill or in Bromley as the weather turns.

Layers, not one thick coat

Start with a base layer that moves sweat away from your skin, add a fleece or a hoodie, then a light waterproof on top. Ten minutes into the warm-up you will want to take something off, and that is far easier with layers than with one heavy coat.

Dress for how you will feel once you are moving. You should feel slightly too cold for the first few minutes. If you are warm standing still at the meeting point, you will be soaked by halfway.

Look after your hands first

Cold hands are what actually ruin a winter session, and they are the easiest thing to fix. Get gloves that keep the water out and still grip a kettlebell handle. Ski gloves work well and cost less than you would think.

Then your feet

Trainers with some grip that you do not mind covering in mud. The ground softens from October and holds water for days after rain. Pack a spare pair of socks for afterwards. Start an hour outdoors with wet feet and it is a long hour.

A hat and a buff

A thin beanie makes a big difference to how warm you feel on a January morning, and it packs into a pocket once you warm up. A buff round your neck does a similar job.

For the dark evenings

Wear something bright or reflective on your outer layer if you are walking or cycling in from Canada Water, Surrey Quays or Rotherhithe. You will not need a head torch during the session, but a fair few members like one for the walk through the park.

Rain is a kit problem

Sessions go ahead in the wet, so the waterproof earns its place in your bag from about October to March. Once you are moving, rain is far less unpleasant than it looks through a window.

The moment you finish

Put a dry layer on before you head home. Standing about in a soaked cotton top is how a good session turns into a cold. Bring a carrier bag for the muddy things.

What we bring

Kettlebells, bands, mats, tyres and the coaching. You do not need to buy any equipment to train with us. Trainers, layers and a bottle of water will get you through any session we run.

Members who start with us in October are often the ones still here the following October, and the kit is a large part of why. For the longer read on why autumn and winter are good months to train outdoors, see autumn and winter training at Stave Hill.