While the Games are on in Sochi, many around China have been inspired to take up various winter sports of their own. The cold weather only adds to the fun of outdoor exercise.
Sub-zero temperatures can’t chill the enthusiasm of these winter swimmers. For large numbers of China’s elderly, swimming in winter is a personal ritual and form of exercise that offers several health benefits. For them, the extreme cold is stimulating.
"It keeps my body active through the winter." Winter Swimmer Wang Dong said.
"As an aerobic exercise, winter swimming can help the practitioners stay fit, strengthen their constitution, and boost their immunity to ward off disease." Winter swimmer Liu Hongjun said.
For those who’d rather stay out of the water, there’s ice skating, especially for kids on winter break. And success is all the more satisfying when it comes after falling quite a few times.
"Most people you see here are very new to skating, so you won’t find the kind of moves you see in the Winter Olympics. We teach them the basics of figure skating, and children are very quick to learn." Ice Skating Coach Li Lu said.
With the growing popularity of winter sports, the bottom line is that it’s never too cold to play.
There’s not much you can do about the cold weather, but there are many things you can do to keep your spirits up. And winter sports are the best way to stay active and healthy, as we head into the spring season.