Exercising in the heat

It has been pretty to and humid out, making most people either exercise super early in the morning (like me) or later in t evening, avoiding the days heat, and if they can't fit that in, they go to workout inside or just skip it.  With winter always a step away, you don't want to skip your outdoors time- I wait all year for it to be warm enough to play outside!

How can we keep it cool?
A recent study from Roehampton University in London, looked at the response of athletes bodies in heat, and tried to find ways to help cool them and improve their physical performance in the heat.  They found a really simple solution, that didn't actually effect their core temperatures (so their bodies weren't actually any cooler) but they felt much cooler and were able to run longer in faster.  The simple solution was to put a soft flexible neck strap with reusable cool packs around the athletes necks while they ran on treadmills in humid 87 degree heat.


It is really all about perception; your body isn't actually cooler, but you feel that it is, and you are able to pus through and work out despite the heat.  Of course, there are risks associated with that, and you need to make sure to rehydrate with water and electrolyte based fluids (coconut water, gatorade, etc) and when you really feel hot, to prevent heat stroke, just take it easy and stay inside.  Also, I am not encouraging you to run at 12pm every day BUT I do think this is a good trick for those of us that want to run outside, in the summer, and not be excessively effected by the heat.....and it may be helpful for those training for competitions.  Tricking your brain into feeling cooler, can help you out, just remember to listen to your body and if you are too overheated, take a break.

Try it out, stay cool, and get your exercise in the fresh air!!

Yours in Good Health
B