Training in the heat

Training in the heat

As the summer temperatures finally increase and you are not one of the lucky ones able to train in front of an industrial-sized fan, here are a few pointers to assist with training in the heat.

Thermoregulation is how your body maintains a consistent internal temperature. When exposed to external heat, your body cools itself and maintains equilibrium via sweating (perspiration). Perspiration has a cooling effect on the body because it removes excess heat through evaporation. The rate of evaporation—and subsequently how well the body is cooled—changes depending upon humidity. When humidity is low, evaporation increases; when humidity is high, the rate of evaporation decreases and less cooling occurs

1. Dress to sweat – wear a good set of sports clothing that is designed to wick the sweat to the outer surface for easier evaporation (avoid wearing cotton)

2. Stay hydrated – carry a larger water bottle while its hot so that you can have regular water breaks without having to constantly re-fill the bottle

3. Train earlier or later – often the hottest time of the day is late lunch and early afternoon so avoid training during these times if you prefer to avoid the heat

4. Expect less – the hot and humid temperature is going to make your exertion levels higher than what you are used to. Expect to find the session harder, or reduce the intensity so it is more manageable

5. Listen to your body – if you feel like your body is struggling then slow down. There is always tomorrow

Training in the heat is not ideal however our bodies are magnificent organisms. Use these few steps to make your training more comfortable during these warm days and enjoy the heat while it lasts

Graham Ferris

Better Body Group, Sevenoaks