Surviving the Summer Scorcher
Friday, May 24, 2013 - 14:12
With this summer giving us all scorching weather it may be tempting to many of us to limit our outdoor workouts to 5 am and avoid competing until September. Here's some tips for beating the heat as the temperature and humidity soars.
Nutrition - Daily diet can be easily overlooked when dealing with the heat, but increasing water-based foods such as fresh fruit instead of dried such as granola or oatmeal can help you on your way to surviving the heat.
Preparation - If you happen to live in a cooler climate but plan to compete in hot or humid conditions, you can add a extra layer of clothing for your workout to increase your sweat rate. Experts caution against any "plastics" because they hinder the evaporation of sweat and increase the risk of heat illness. Try to aim for a fluid replenishment plan that produces no greater than 2 percent loss of body weight during the workout. Adjustments to your training like the one just suggested, should be done on an individual basis to find what works best for you.
Travel - When traveling to a competition with a drastically different climate, if possible, plan to arrive up to a week early to give yourself enough time to acclimate. Regular exposure to hot or humid conditions allows the body to adapt to the heat and reduces the risk of adverse effects on performance and lessens the risk of heat injury.
Sodium - Salt supplements taken a day or two before your competition in addition to adding salt to your meals, will help hold in all the water an athlete drinks and help to keep water in reserve.
Given adequate time and preparation your body will be able to perform for you and hopefully there will be no need for us to hide indoors until September.
References from the SIRC Collection:
1. 'Beat the Heat - playing and exercising safely in hot weather.'. ACHPER Active & Healthy Magazine. March 2008;15(1):16.
2. Charet G. Keep the Heat Off. Tennis. July 2010;46(6):54.
3. Fliegelman S. THRIVE IN RACE-DAY HEAT. Triathlete. July 2012;(340):62-64.
4. Galloway S. Dehydration, rehydration, and exercise in the heat: rehydration strategies for athletic competition. Canadian Journal Of Applied Physiology. April 1999;24(2):188-200.
5. Love P. Keeping your cool: outdoor competition in hot weather. Handball. August 2002;52(4):63.
6. Regensburg P, Watson L. Keep your cool: 10 ways to beat the tropical heat. Triathlete. October 2006;(270):102-105.
