Training for extreme weather conditions?

[Carol]

Got the weather conditions online. Its 9° F, Winds are 13 MPH to make temps -6° with the wind chill. That's when they aren't gusting up to 30 MPH. BRRR!!

Which makes me curious...how many of you folks train for adverse/extreme weather conditions? What sort of steps do you take?

 

[jarrod]

personally, i can barely function in heat above 90degrees or so. i feel heavy, tired, & i get winded very, very fast. so on hot days i try to just be really nice to everyone i meet. it's worked so far.

jf

 

[JadecloudAlchemist]

In extreme weather conditions it is important to seek shelter and if you must go out wear the correct layer of protection.

Knowing yourself and the element is crucial to surivial.

Adapting to change is another key.

I think the best way to train for this is knowledge.

 

[geezer]

Got the weather conditions online. Its 9° F, Winds are 13 MPH to make temps -6° with the wind chill. That's when they aren't gusting up to 30 MPH. BRRR!!

Which makes me curious...how many of you folks train for adverse/extreme weather conditions? What sort of steps do you take?

If its that cold, I'd load up the old snowplow and drive south at least a thousand miles!

Out West here in Phoenix, the heat's more of a problem. In Summer, I schedule my oudoor training for early mornings or late evenings. Although these days, all the urban development creates a "heat island" effect, since asphalt and concrete hold the sun's heat longer. It can stay up around 110 into the night after a very hot day. Personally, I won't train if its over 105 or so. But then I'm old and weak. A young acquaintance came back from the initial invasion of Iraq, when they had to train in chemical defense suits. And temperatures there can get up near 130. Now that's some warm weather!

Personally, I've never seen it get over 124 here abouts. People that work oudoor jobs, like construction start well before dawn and try to wrap it up early. If you have to be outside and away from air-conditioning during the afternoon, drink lots of water, stay in the shade, don't move around too much, and wait for dark. Under those conditions, self defense isn't much of a concern. People do get ticked off, but they have an attitude like, "I'd beat the tar outta you... but it's just too damn hot. Maybe later."

 

[Xue Sheng]

It really depends on how sever we are talking. If it is dangerously cold or sever wind chill then I am likely to only go snow showing at best, if that. Otherwise dress warm and go hit a tree. Or if the snow isn't too deep and it is not to windy dress warm and go do a form or 2. If I could get someone else interested I would spar.

As far as heat goes I have trained form and sparing outside in the summer in my youth (30s )
I now, on occasion do forms in some pretty hot weather.

However I did once have a tuishou training session outside during a heavy rain storm, when the lightning started we decided to stop. However it was probably as close to any old Kung Fu theater movie scene my training will ever get

Looking back on that rainstorm Tuishou I can honestly say I wish someone had filmed it because if it looked half as cool as it felt I would like to see that. I can also look back on that and say I do believe I was crazy since you could hear the thunderstorm rolling in and we did not stop until it was...well... close.

And now I await the post from Brian R. VanCise and Brian on this topic should they post :asian:

 

[jks9199]

I'll arrange occasional opportunities to train outside whatever the weather for my students. It's an important element in real life training -- and it can be a lot of fun, too!

I and another student once spent an afternoon in a snow storm practicing strikes with the cane. It got even more fun when we started throwing snowballs at each other!

 

[HM2PAC]

An old 1st Sergeant of mine once told me..." You don't have to practice being miserable, it will come to you naturally."

His point was that he wanted us to stay comfortable while setting up for whatever we were doing and if we got uncomfortable, then we would have to deal with it.

Personally I train in the clothing that is appropriate. I shoot with bulky clothes on so that it's not a new thing when I have to do it for real.

 

[Cirdan]

Get used to the cold as the cold season approaches. This means wearing clothes that will keep you not quite comfortable as the temperature falls. Then you will be ready for the worst chill with better clothes and your conditioning.

 

[jks9199]

Get used to the cold as the cold season approaches. This means wearing clothes that will keep you not quite comfortable as the temperature falls. Then you will be ready for the worst chill with better clothes and your conditioning.

There's only so much you can do to "get used" to the cold; the laws of thermodynamics remain in effect, and if your body gives up too much heat to the environment, you will face hypothermia.

That said -- it is important to be familiar with what it feels like to be cold, to know the difference in how your hands work as they chill, and so on. And to know how to ward off chills that aren't quite hypothermic in nature...

 

[JadeDragon3]

I kinda find it fun to train in really cold wheather. I like training in my garage where it can get really cold in the winter especially with cement floor. It kinda reminds me of Mas Oyama and his training in winter snow and meditating under ice cold waterfalls. It really conditions your bare feet to withstand the cold cement floors when going barefoot. I also like to jog in the cold weather.

 

[ljdevo]

I kinda find it fun to train in really cold wheather. I like training in my garage where it can get really cold in the winter especially with cement floor. It kinda reminds me of Mas Oyama and his training in winter snow and meditating under ice cold waterfalls. It really conditions your bare feet to withstand the cold cement floors when going barefoot. I also like to jog in the cold weather.

There are numerous ways in which you can train in the cold:

1. If it is windy, jog with sprint intervals into the wind. This is like resistance training as you are running against an opposing force.

2. Run long distances. The cold will soon feel warm after a while, and the cold air works its horrible magic on your lungs and chest making them burn and making it harder to breath. This will improve your lung power and breathing. So just run until you collapse.

3. If it freezes, find some ice and practice your footwork. It will improve your balance and help you to improve your centre. This can also be done indoors by scatterng lots of small beads on the floor and constantly moving around on them. It works but cleaning them up is a pain up the ****.

4. If you're feeling like rocky then wrap yourself up, run up some steps and punch a big piece of meat, and no doubt you will become undisputed!

 

[HM2PAC]

I miss living on Oahu.

That said, I do prefer the extremes of cold over the hot deserts of the SW USA or the Middle East.

Either extreme can be vicious, but I can always put on more clothes,...I can only get so naked.

 

[Sukerkin]

Some very good insights in the posts above, ladies and gentlemen.

I particularly agree with HM2PAC's last above tho'.

I can stand the cold and if I can't then I can wrap-up against it.

Heat slays me, which is how come at work I am the chap with my shirt open, sleeves rolled up and with two big fans pointed at me whilst everyone else is in fleeces and coats :lol:.

It would appear that my argument that 'room temerature' means 15 degrees Centigrade falls on deaf ears there ... mind you, it's getting a bit nippy in here now that the heatings been off for five hours and it's below freezing outside ... maybe I'd better go to bed as it's 3 am !

 

[Big Don]

Our dojo has no air conditioning and in the summers it hovers around 115 degrees inside. Sifu calls it "extreme sparring."

Seeing the title of the thread made me think of the training montage in Best of the Best in which the Korean team is shown kicking trees in the snow, etc.

 

[Shinobi Teikiatsu]

It's sleeting outside my window right now! I can tell you guys this, I'm going to put on my gi and go do some of my sanshin no kata. I guess when I'm asked what I do in this kind of weather...I endure. I don't really do anything special, just fight through the pain of the cold or whatever.
Humidity though..
Man I HATE humidity.

 

[Cirdan]

There's only so much you can do to "get used" to the cold; the laws of thermodynamics remain in effect, and if your body gives up too much heat to the environment, you will face hypothermia.

There is more to it. Getting used to the cold also includes a mental piece as well as activating muscle groups and blood stream to keep warm. You also learn to shield the parts of your body that leaks the most heat and wear your clothing to better effect. Much of this is done subconsiously. I used this to great effect with my boys in the army, without this training functioning in -40 °C over time would not really be an option.