Sure, there are downsides to exercising in summer. But these tips and tricks will help you meet your fitness goals with ease.
Remember, there are downsides to exercising in the heat but these can be avoided (Shutterstock)
The summer is upon us and as the mercury soars, most creatures try to find a cool spot to lie in but not the hardy exerciser/runner. They look at summer with different-coloured lenses – it’s the time they can show off their sculpted bodies while breaking a sweat running on the roads. But as with everything there are downsides to exercising in the heat. We can avoid these pitfalls by keeping the following points in mind.
•Drink enough water. Generally, eight glasses of water is the usual recommendation but if you run or workout in the hot summer months, then it should be 10 to 12 glasses of water. This is a very generalised recommendation as people have different rates of sweating. If you sweat more, then you need to hydrate more.
•Water is not enough as electrolytes are lost during excessive sweating, so increase the intake of salt. Electrolyte tablets are available. Please use those to avoid electrolyte imbalances. Having salted dry fruits like salted almonds and pistachios to increase intake of salt is also a good idea.
Eight glasses of water is the usual recommendation but if you run or workout in the hot summer months (Shutterstock)
•If while running or working out, you feel dizzy or have cold clammy skin, stop immediately. Bring your body temperature down by having a cold shower or sitting in a cool room.
•High temperature increases the heart rate. Temperatures over 35 degrees centigrade can increase heart rate by as much as 10 beats per minute. So, your run will feel harder at your usual pace, so you might want to decrease your pace.
•If you are a veteran runner, then you can continue your physical activity at the same level but if you are starting to exercise or a beginner then progress very slowly in the hot summer months, as the heat affects recovery by increasing by products of exercise.
•If you run or cycle outdoors, then do so in the cooler part of the day.
Wear loose and light-coloured clothing while working out (Shutterstock)
•Wear loose and light-coloured clothing while working out, as this will help in dissipating heat. I find it very strange when people wear dark outfits to run outdoors in the peak summer months!
•Have a pre-workout cold shower before starting your out door run. This will keep you cool and help you run with greater intensity.
•Using the treadmill for some of the runs is a good way to avoid too much heat exposure. May be get two days of running outdoors to remain heat acclimated and shift the rest of the runs indoor.
Using the treadmill for some of the runs is a good way to avoid too much heat exposure (Shutterstock)
To summarise the above tips, cut the intensity and volume of your exercise initially till you get used to the heat. Drink copious amount of water with added electrolytes. Exercise in the cooler parts of the day. Exercise common sense to continue achieving your fitness goals over the summer.
- HT