From the hills of southeast Indiana to the world stage of the Winter Olympics, local athletes have proven it’s possible to compete with the best.But before they chase gold, they train for something you can’t see.”The environment itself plays a huge role in how an athlete performs,” said Dr. Christopher Kotarsky, an exercise physiologist at the University of Cincinnati.Kotarsky says winter athletes aren’t just competing against one another, they’re competing against the elements.”Cold weather specifically is really good at stealing our body heat, which can lead to muscle and joint stiffness, slower reaction times, and even increase our injury risk,” he explained.That’s why warm-ups are longer in freezing temperatures. Athletes don’t just practice their sport; they practice the conditions.”Your body is very, very smart. It learns to overcome what it’s repeatedly exposed to,” Kotarsky said. “If you want to get better at adapting to the cold, go out and experience more.”There’s also a challenge many fans don’t think about: hydration.”Sensations of thirst, for example, are blunted in cold weather,” Kotarsky said. “So athletes have to consciously hydrate. They can’t wait for thirst signals.”And while Cincinnati is known as the City of Seven Hills, it doesn’t compare to the altitude of Olympic host cities like Milan.”As we increase in elevation, the amount of oxygen in the air becomes less,” Kotarsky said. “That can lead to fatigue and shortness of breath.”At higher elevations, the body responds by working harder to get oxygen where it needs to go.”The body will actually produce more red blood cells, so we have more little oxygen taxis that can transport it throughout the body,” he said.That’s why many elite athletes use a strategy known as “live high, train low” — gaining the benefits of altitude while maintaining high-intensity training.So when you’re watching the speed, the strength and the skill on Olympic slopes and rinks — remember: the elements are part of the competition, too.
From the hills of southeast Indiana to the world stage of the Winter Olympics, local athletes have proven it’s possible to compete with the best.
But before they chase gold, they train for something you can’t see.
“The environment itself plays a huge role in how an athlete performs,” said Dr. Christopher Kotarsky, an exercise physiologist at the University of Cincinnati.
Kotarsky says winter athletes aren’t just competing against one another, they’re competing against the elements.
“Cold weather specifically is really good at stealing our body heat, which can lead to muscle and joint stiffness, slower reaction times, and even increase our injury risk,” he explained.
That’s why warm-ups are longer in freezing temperatures. Athletes don’t just practice their sport; they practice the conditions.
“Your body is very, very smart. It learns to overcome what it’s repeatedly exposed to,” Kotarsky said. “If you want to get better at adapting to the cold, go out and experience more.”
There’s also a challenge many fans don’t think about: hydration.
“Sensations of thirst, for example, are blunted in cold weather,” Kotarsky said. “So athletes have to consciously hydrate. They can’t wait for thirst signals.”
And while Cincinnati is known as the City of Seven Hills, it doesn’t compare to the altitude of Olympic host cities like Milan.
“As we increase in elevation, the amount of oxygen in the air becomes less,” Kotarsky said. “That can lead to fatigue and shortness of breath.”
At higher elevations, the body responds by working harder to get oxygen where it needs to go.
“The body will actually produce more red blood cells, so we have more little oxygen taxis that can transport it throughout the body,” he said.
That’s why many elite athletes use a strategy known as “live high, train low” — gaining the benefits of altitude while maintaining high-intensity training.
So when you’re watching the speed, the strength and the skill on Olympic slopes and rinks — remember: the elements are part of the competition, too.