Winter Training: Don’t get complacent When It Gets Cold

Ah, winter.

Cold mornings. Extra layers. Fewer daylight hours. Less time outdoors.

The range trips slow down.

The hikes get shorter—or stop altogether.

Running, biking, walking… all get easier to postpone.

Winter is typically when we get the laziest we’ll be all year.

It’s also when we tend to eat the worst. Heavier meals. More comfort food. More excuses. And it’s easy to justify it all because the extra layers hide the extra insulation. We tell ourselves we’ll course correct after the New Year. We make plans. We make resolutions.

“I’ll train more.”

“I’ll work out more.”

“I’ll dry fire more.”

“I’ll get back to the range more.”

…after it warms up.

That’s the trap.

Comfort breeds weakness.

Winter is not the time to step back. It’s not the season to coast. It’s not the moment to slow down or let discipline slip. This is the season where resolve is tested—not by adversity, but by convenience.

Train in the cold.

Run in the cold.

Go to the gym when you don’t feel like it.

Use the treadmill. Pick up the weights. Get some solid calisthenics in—daily if you can.

If weather or daylight limits your range time, don’t waste the opportunity. Winter is the perfect time to double down on dry fire—especially the things most people neglect when they’re burning ammo.

Work your draw from the holster.

Do reloads.

Draw and reload on the move.

Practice transitions.

Build a daily, bi-weekly, or weekly routine and stick to it.

You don’t need perfect conditions to improve. You need consistency.

And this season isn’t just about physical training.

Winter is also a gift of margin—if you use it. It’s a great time to pick up those books you’ve been meaning to read but never had time for when life was busy and outdoors called louder. Maybe it’s leadership, preparedness, history, or discipline.

Or maybe it’s your Bible.

Maybe it’s been sitting unopened for longer than you’d like to admit because warmer seasons filled your schedule with distractions. Winter strips some of that away—if you let it. Use the quieter evenings. Use the slower pace. Read. Study. Pray. Re-anchor yourself in the Word.

Whatever the discipline—physical, mental, or spiritual—the call is the same:

Keep up the fight.

Don’t let a change of season undo the progress you’ve made.

Don’t let it soften your resolve or dull your calling.

Don’t trade momentum for comfort.

Be intentional with your time.

Pour into your spouse.

Invest in your kids.

Serve your family.

Show up for your church.

Winter doesn’t weaken the prepared—it reveals them.

Remain always:

Prepared in Spirit.

Ready in Strength.