How Athletes Stay Warm at the Olympics

The 2014 Winter Olympics will be kicking off in Sochi, Russia in just one week! And I'm sure you're all wondering how do those winter athletes manage to stay warm, especially when you spend most of your day outside in the freezing snow?

Well, there's a trick to keeping warm that those athletes have known about for some time and I think, given how cold it has been here in Texoma lately, we could all learn a thing or two from these guys. So check out the five ways that winter athletes stay warm and if you have anything to add, let us know in the comment section below.

1. Layers

I'm sure you've figured this one out by now. One of the best ways to stay warm is to wear multiple layers of clothing. You can never have to many layers and great way to start off is with a pair of long underwear.

"When we're training outside we wear tight speed suits -- there's not much insulation. I always wear two layers of long underwear and that helps. Layers are pretty much key. It doesn’t look like much can fit under there but we manage."
-- Travis Ganong, Alpine Skiing

2. Duct Tape

Duct Tape fixes everything. No doubt about that. And now you have a way to use duct tape to keep you warm. Athletes usually put duct tape around the toes of their shoes to help keep their feet dryer and therefor, warmer in the long run.

"Throw a little duct tape over the bottom of the toe of your boot. It always keeps your boots a little dryer and keeps your feet warm. When your feet are warm, you have good days -- that’s what I've come to learn. When your feet are cold, it's a tough one out there.”
-- Bobby Brown, Freeskiing Slopestyle

3. Protect Your Neck

Apparently, you lose a lot of your body heat thru your neck.  So stop that from happening, wear a scarf, or anything else that will keep your neck nice and cozy.

“The majority of your body heat is released through your neck, so make sure to have a good balaclava or a bandana."
-- Nick Goepper, Freeskiing Slopestyle

4. Just Breath

Staying warm can be as easy as breathing, if you know the right techniques. There are several forms of meditation breathing techniques that allow your body to regulate heat better.

"I practice a lot of different breathing techniques like Kundalini breathing. My feet used to get so cold, and through the right breathing it’s gotten so much better."
-- Jamie Anderson, Snowboarding Slopestyle

5.Move Your Body

This is one everyone should know about. The best way to stay warm is to keep moving. Shrug your shoulder, wiggle your fingers or jump up and down like a madman, it doesn't matter, just do whatever it takes to get your blood pumping.

"Jump around and move your body in any weird fashion to get blood flowing. We go to a lot of areas that are very, very cold and I’ve seen a lot of different ways to stay warm. A lot of them look very awkward, but they work."
-- John Teller, Freeskiing Ski Cross