Guide for Cold Weather Parkour Training
As the weather gets colder, many traceurs move their training indoors. Before parkour gyms cold winters often brought people inside to work on strength training to prepare for the spring. A select few would continue training outside—to test their mental limits and to be prepared for any situation. Through this process we learned how to effectively train outdoors over the winter—however, it does take some extra planning and gear to keep sessions safe and enjoyable through more extreme weather.
In the following sections we cite our Founder, Jesse Danger, because he models weatherproof training and highly values the physical and mental growth that comes from learning to train safely in all conditions and environments. Scroll to the end of the page for a personal note on Winter training in NYC.
What Should I Wear?
We prefer to have layers packed, just in case. Training safely in cold weather means being able to moderate your temperature to avoid freezing, or sweating. For that reason synthetic or wool next to your skin is better than cotton which can absorb your sweat or water from the snow and can make you lose heat quickly. A fortunate factor in NYC is you are never far from a warm drink at a cafe if needed. We think it’s important to challenge your body’s ability to regulate heat, keep a sharp eye out for hypothermia/frostbite, and pay attention and be sure to let others know if a part of your body becomes numb, hurts, or in extreme cases actually starts to feel very warm.
There are 4 critical layers that will keep you warm while training in the frosty streets of NYC (or braving a snowy mountain pass):
Upper Body: Merino wool sweater/long sleeve shirt
Wool wicks moisture away and tends to stay the warmest. Wool will also keep you warm even when it gets wet and has the added benefit of being antimicrobial. Jesse has three thermals that he rotates between sessions during the winter (in case one of them gets soaked).
Lower Body: Running tights/long underwear
Running tights are thin enough to stay cool in the fall, but tight enough to retain warmth in the winter. The stretchy material won’t restrict mobility while the moisture wicking fabric and compression keeps you dry and warm. In the winter Jesse usually wears these beneath his normal pants.
Upper Body: Tech fleece or sweater (tech fiber)
An insulating fleece or sweater can be essential in harsh weather training, especially when traveling between spots since you aren’t moving to keep warm. This is something you can easily remove if you start overheating to avoid sweating too much once you start training again. An added benefit is additional padding on dive rolls!
Lower Body: Sweatpants or tech pants (e.g., track pants)
Some athletes wear running tights with a pair of shorts once it starts getting chilly, but this won’t cut it for sub-zero sessions where the breeze can cut right through thin fabric. Add an extra layer of insulation with a pair of heavy sweatpants or pants with a stretchy, technical fiber like track or climbing pants.
Torso: Outdoor “shell” jacket
This is what protects you from the elements—wind and water especially—it should be wind- and water-resistant. We recommend opting for a waterproof “shell” jacket. This will stop wind and water from taking away the heat your body is making. Some shells come with their own linings, some can be worn over a sweater. When you're training—except in extremely cold temperatures—heavy winter coats can be unnecessarily bulky. Your core can generate more than enough warmth with just a baselayer and shell in everything but the most extreme weather conditions.
These extra items will help you regulate heat. Jesse recommends keeping a hat, mittens, and a spare pair of socks in your bag through the winter. If you don’t end up needing them you may be out training with someone who might!
Head
You can wear neck gaiters, face masks, or hats to keep your head warm. Just remember that it takes a lot of work for our body to get heat to your extremities, so wearing gear that keeps that heat in is important. Jesse recommends using more than you think you’ll need since small items like these are easy to take off and store.
Feet
Wool socks
Winter boots are often bulky and can change the way your feet and ankles move. Jesse recommends wearing your regular parkour shoes but investing in a pair of heavy wool socks. These will keep your toes and feet warm even if they get wet (which you should do your best to avoid).
Hands
Gloves or mittens with grip panels (e.g., snowboarding gloves)
You may prefer the feel of cold metal and concrete than a bulky glove, but it’s very easy for fingers to get frostbite once the temperatures start to drop. For the worst days Jesse wears mittens once his hands get cold. He prefers snowboarding mittens that have a good grip panel so he can still grab bars. When choosing a pair of gloves or mittens, make sure you’re still able to crawl, swing, vault, and climb without having to worry about them slipping. Also, keep in mind that when gloves get to a certain bulk/heaviness, the fingers are largely superficial and won’t really help improve things like grip or dexterity. Mittens, on the other hand, allow your fingers to keep each other cozy and retain more heat than gloves.
Philosophy
Many sports move indoors during the winter months, but we choose to coach outdoors in all weather conditions. Here are some of the reasons and benefits to keeping students active and outside year-round.
For what we want to gain as individuals.
Coaching through the winter offers a year-round job. In the past we have downsized the team or lost people as team members over the winter because we did not have consistent work. The current arrangement maximizes year job stability, more so than any arrangement we’ve had before, including renting indoor studios (costly and relatively ineffective at maintaining clients because the service we offer indoors is or can be very different).
For what we want to offer as individuals.
We want to teach resilience and overcoming challenge. Physical discipline, mental focus, and social fun — Overcoming the physical adversities of cold and wet with a positive attitude are great for teaching these things.
For what our students need.
People need to move. Just like dogs need to go on a walk or monkeys need to climb; it would be inhumane to stop moving for a whole season. It would also be a joke to think we couldn’t do something over the winter to be stronger and more prepared for the spring.
For what our clients (mostly parents) need.
Parents need for their kids to have healthy pro-social physical outlets. Adults are typically slightly better at self-regulating. Younger people need physical activity to help them regulate their energy and attention. I think we all need this, actually.
For what New York City needs.
New York City has a very low percentage of people that are year-round outdoor active. That’s not because of the weather that’s because of ideas and cultural attitudes. Denver conversely is very outdoor active. Getting out and moving, encouraging a growing demand for outdoor spaces designed for movement and for resources to support a growing need is a step in the right direction. Athletics move indoors for the winter which because a financial access issue - we teach a way to move around the city, to train, stay healthy, and have fun without needing to have exclusive access to a space.
Reasons why people may not like training outdoors:
Won’t training in the cold make me sick?
No, being in the cold or wet won’t make you catch a cold/flu/sickness. However, a lack of movement and sunlight can make you sick. For me depression starts to get a little stronger after even a few days indoors without moving, and poses a much greater existential threat than a small increase to my chance of getting sick.
I can’t train the movements I love.
Go back to basics and get better technique! Fall in love with the additional challenges of the cold and the wet and you will benefit greatly when better weather days come and you don’t have those additional things to pay attention to.
Cold makes my body hurt.
Cold can cause joint pain, cramps, discomfort. Make sure to warm up and meet yourself where you are. Don’t hold yourself to midsummer standards. Even a body in pain needs to move and even a body in pain deserves to enjoy it. Additionally cold therapy is incredible for your blood and recovery and boosts your immune system!
I feel lethargic in the winter.
That can be caused by a lack of movement and sunshine! See how you feel immediately following a session rather than an hour before one. Use that as your indicator of success.
-Jesse Danger, Co-Founder of The Movement Creative
Polarn O. Pyret Partnership
We’re proud to partner with one of Sweden’s leading outerwear clothing companies for a special 20% discount on their entire range of youth outdoor clothing and accessories, including snow/rain suits, mittens, base layers, wool socks, and everything in between.
Note that this discount only applies to students currently enrolled in our winter outdoor programs.
Use the button below to sign up, and you will automatically receive the 20% discount.