It’s hot. Damn Hot. Real Hot. 4th of July weekend measured as THE HOTTEST weekend recorded. Ever. What can we do to beat the heat? We have AC, Central Air, wicking clothing and we’re still dropping like flies. Western Europe saw some 20,000 deaths in a recent unrelenting heat wave. It could happen here. And the heat will wreak havoc on your workouts too.
Gonna make you sweat
To beat the heat you basically gotta sweat. Moisture (sweat) is pulled to the surface of our skin, evaporates and that keeps our temperature down. Humans are far and away the best designed animals when it comes to sweating; but alas not everyone sweats equally.
Don’t be ashamed of how much you’re sweating; in addition to temperature maintenance sweating is one of the chief ways our bodies dispose of body fat. So I Bet you’re wishing you were sweating right now.
Your size markedly affects how much you need to sweat. “One runner might lose a liter per hour during a marathon while another might sweat twice as much in the same event under the same conditions. Smaller, skinnier people need to sweat less than taller, heavier people because they have more surface area relative to their size, and thus their sweat evaporates better,” writes Bill Gifford in Men’s Health.
Adapt and survive
Adaptation plays a role in your ability to regulate your temperature, i.e. bodies raised in hot climates handle heat more efficiently. Need to improve your bodies heat response? The answer, shockingly, is to work out in the heat more; but just a little more. Take baby steps.
Here’s the Catch 22. Sweat enough and RISK dehydration and the loss of critical electrolytes. Being 3-4% dehydrated can lower your work performance by approximately 25-50%. So replenish. Replace 110% of the water you lose during exercise, and make sure to infuse that water with some electrolytes. Your body will thank you.
HERE’s none other than Tom Brady talking about the importance of drinking water.
Don’t let the heat stop you from working out. Pick times and places that let you stay cool.
Going for a run? Make it a destination. Run at 6 am, at the Beach (Nantasket Beach is THE BEST for running). Beach too far away? Try a shady route (like the Emerald Necklace).
Lifting weights? Fit is kept at a nice crisp 42 degrees. I’m exaggerating; but it is ice cold. The clients are loving the temp, and the trainers are all wearing sweatshirts, we’re all getting fit and no one is over-heating.