The UK is in the middle of another heatwave, and it is hot hot hot! But are you still exercising, or have you put in on the back burner for now? As a nation, we are ill prepared for the sudden intensities of heat and only a few are lucky enough to have air conditioning in our homes. Even if you are the most committed to exercise, it can become a chore in the heat, especially after a restless night.
Keeping up with exercise however helps our bodies become more efficient at adapting to temperature changes, so it is important to keep going. But if you are going to work out, it is important to do it safely. When it is hot, the body is under more pressure to reduce its temperature to prevent overheating, therefore putting demands on the cardiovascular system. To help avoid this here are a few quick tips to help you exercise safely in the heat:
- Get up and get outdoors, either before 8am or after 8pm to avoid the worst of the heat. It is a lovely time to exercise and is quiet. It is not always practical but getting up early and exercising can set you up for the day!
- Reduce the amount of time you spend exercising. Keep HIIT workouts or runs down to 20 minutes and if possible, in an air-conditioned gym if too late in the day. Short walks are recommended, long tennis matches are not! Even if you are used to long workouts, try to be sensible and cut them down for a while.
- Pre and post workout, have an icy cold drink. This helps to cool the body. As well as this, remember to keep hydrated. When you exercise you lost water through sweat, so replacing fluid loss is essential. It is important to replace electrolytes – a sports drink could help.
- Continue to eat sensibly. If you are working out, you need to fuel up! I have spoken to clients who reduce their intake of food when it is hot, but I do not recommend this if you are continuing to exercise. A good diet is more important than ever.
- Post workout, try to avoid any aggressive cooling down techniques such as ice baths. These will only cause the skins circulation to shut down, trapping heat in the body. Try a tepid shower instead.
- Teach your body how to acclimatise to the heat. With more heatwaves on the cards, its better to start preparing. Saunas for example help athletes to prepare for competitions in the heat. Their bodies adapt more quickly in hot weather and can self-cool more efficiently.
Good luck and if you have any questions, please contact me via my website.
Gill x
