It’s the middle of summer and the heat has been relentless. Every year, athletes from all over the United States suffer from a heat-related illness that could be avoided. You need to take the heat seriously if you are training in the summer, it could potentially kill you.
Training in hot weather is not always pleasant, but sometimes it’s unavoidable. You know just how hot it can get in New York in July and August. And while training on hot days isn’t quite as enjoyable as training on a cool day in mid-October, it doesn’t have to be any riskier.
Heat illness is pretty rare among endurance athletes, but you should take precautions just the same. Evolution Muay Thai, your Muay Thai gym in New York, offers tips to make summer training safe.
Baby Steps
The more in shape you are, the better your body can handle the heat. So the first thing you want to do is to build your fitness level before the summer heat kicks in. So when the dog days of summer arrive, you are in excellent shape and far less likely to be negatively affected by the heat.
Start off going slower than usual if you are working out in high temperatures. You can then push yourself to do a little more each workout. It takes about two weeks for the body to acclimate to the heat, so slowly work up to full workouts.
Early or Late
In the middle of summer, there will be days when it is just too hot to do anything outdoors, much less workout. To avoid the highest temperatures of the day, you should be doing any outdoor workouts in the early hours of the morning or in the evening, when things have cooled down.
After suffering through a broiling midday workout, we think you would agree.
Stay Hydrated
Drinking plenty of water during hot weather workouts will help your body sweat better. By drinking water throughout your workouts, you will keep your blood level at normal levels which keeps your sweat rate high.
Keep It Shady
Just because you are working out outdoors, it doesn’t mean you have to sweat it out under the hot sun. Hide from the damaging rays and heat of the sun by finding a shady area to do your training.
Dress Appropriately
Darker clothing attracts more sunlight and that will make you feel even hotter. It is best if you wear lightweight, light-colored clothing when training in the heat.
Don’t Push It
There are some people who get it in their head that no matter what, they have to keep going. And even though you are supposed to be pushing your limits when working out, it is important that you know your limitations. You could put yourself in danger.
Cool Down
When you come to the end of your workout, make sure you take time to cool down. Walk around to make sure you circulate blood throughout your body and cool down internally.
Contact Evolution Muay Thai and get started today.
