When the cold of winter seems to last for several months, people are easily discouraged from outdoor activities. Especially with the upcoming Spring Festival holiday. This will make you curl up in a warm bedroom on a comfortable chair, drink a cup of hot tea, or have a reunion dinner with relatives and friends. But before you fall into the 'convention' of the Spring Festival, consider the outdoor sports fun you might be missing out on.

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The winter ice and snow provide a mature environment for challenging activities. When you sweat profusely, it can bring a smile to your face. So go ahead, choose one or two new snow sports you'd like to try, and invite your family and friends to join you. When spring comes and the sun brings warmth, you'll be glad you've been trying fun sports during your winter vacation.

Here are five outdoor ice and snow sports recommendations for you guys:

Skiing and snowboarding

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Frankly, skiing and snowboarding aren't 'new' sports, but if you come to the north to take a winter trip, you must at least try these sports. Of course, this is a learning process, but spending half a day with a coach can give you a certain degree of confidence to solve beginner problems.

You might think you're just sliding down from the mountain, not requiring much effort, but even gravity is playing a role in your downward movement, skiing and snowboarding both require the participation of the glutes, tendons, quadriceps and core to help your actions and maintain control. You may be surprised to find that even on the coldest days, after skiing, you'll sweat.

Cross-country skiing

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Cross-country skiing without a ski resort is also a good exercise. You only need equipment (usually ski equipment), snow, and some open snow trails. Whether you believe it or not, cross-country skiing is a very effective aerobic exercise. When you glide across the snow, your whole body will participate. An estimated 70kg person can burn 264 calories in 30 minutes of cross-country skiing. Spending an afternoon outdoors is a great way to do it.

This type of exercise is also safer.

Snowshoeing

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Snowshoes may seem like just hiking in the snow, but they are more challenging than you think. In fact, an estimated 70kg person can walk at a speed of 5km per hour for 30 minutes, burning 115 calories more than walking. The calorie burning increases to 264.

The reason for the difference is the equipment and environment. Snowshoes are inherently clumsy, unlike walking without them, you need to be more aware of your steps. Then you need to consider that you are walking in the snow. Snowshoes may sink several centimeters, requiring you to raise your knees higher and make other adjustments to maintain stable steps.

The inefficient posture in snowshoeing involves more muscles, ultimately leading to greater heat generation.

Ice climbing

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Climbing on vertical ice surfaces looks like an extreme sport (and it may be), but if you find a qualified coach to guide you to start climbing, it is very easy for beginners. In fact, because you wear special shoes with spikes (ice claws) when climbing, you are easier to stand firmly on the ice than when climbing rocks. In rock climbing, you have to find a foothold before climbing a cliff. Conversely, when climbing ice, you just need to kick your shoes into the ice and stand firmly as you move forward. Similarly, you use an ice axe to create your own 'handholds', so you can directly climb up the ice.

However, because your whole body is climbing and you maintain a semi-squatting position when climbing on ice, the challenge is intense, and you may train your forearms and calves.

Take it slow, and rest as you go. Ice climbing is a team sport (you need a partner to protect you when you're climbing), so communicate, and stop when you need to rest and enjoy the whole ice climbing process.

Fatbike

You don't have to give up cycling just because of the cold weather, but you may need to rent or buy a special bike designed for riding in the snow. 'Fatbikes' are equipped with oversized tires.

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The beauty of fatbikes is that their oversized tires can ride in various conditions, including normal roads, sandy ground, and trails, even snow. In cold winter weather, on clean bike lanes, frozen lakes, or fresh snow, fatbikes extend the time of cycling, adding a new experience to winter adventures.

If you don't want to ski or wear snowshoes, it's another great way to enjoy outdoor recreation.

Fatbikes are just as enjoyable as cycling you expect, you'll enjoy leg muscle training, and it's also a cardio exercise to increase your heart rate. Most bicycle stores in cold areas can arrange for you to rent or buy a bike and answer any questions you have about starting.

Let's start our fun winter holiday trip now!