Hot Weather Exercise Tips

The summer months are here. That means it’s time to get outside and take advantage of the sunshine. Before rushing into the heat, we’d like to share some of the best benefits and safety tips to make your workout safe and enjoyable.

Outdoor Training Benefits

Outdoor training has numerous benefits, including:

• The chance to soak up vitamin D
• More fresh air = more oxygen
• Research shows outdoor training is more enjoyable than indoor
• More enjoyable workouts lead to more effective workouts
• No gym membership required
• It’s a great way to add variety and change up your normal routine

Outdoor Training Options

Outdoor training can come in many forms. Here are just some of your options:

• Hill sprints – Sprint up a hill (ideally 10-20 seconds) and walk back down to recover.
• Beach workouts – Lunges, crawls, sprints, and jumps in the sand take these basic exercises to another level.
• Water workouts – Take a dip in the local pool for a strong full-body and cardio workout.
• One tool – Grab a versatile tool, such as a kettlebell or a Total Gym, head out to your yard, and get an effective full-body workout in. 

Outdoor Training Is Great But Take Precaution 

You must always exercise with caution during these hot and humid months. Follow these simple, but important tips to keep you cool, keep you moving, and keep you seeing results.

1. Fluids

Drink more water. Sadly, most of us do not drink enough water throughout the day. If you’re keeping your workouts relatively brief in duration (30-45 minutes) water should be the primary liquid. If you are out for more than 2 hours that’s when you should consider water and electrolyte replacement options such as coconut water. Do your best to avoid drinks high in sugar and loaded with unnecessary chemicals and calories like sodas.

2. Clothing

Opt for lightweight, loose-fitting, and lighter colored clothes when exercising. Consider wicking fabrics to keep you as dry as possible throughout your workout. Sweating and having your heavy clothes literally sticking to your body makes is harder for your body to cool itself down. This can lead to overheating and poor performance.

3. Train earlier or later in the day

If you have any flexibility in your schedule, aim to get your workouts in early in the morning or at the end of the day when the temperature is more manageable. Beating the heat by training at 6 am, for example, is a great way to get your workout in and not have to deal with the afternoon humidity and health concerns.

4. Have a partner

This is a helpful tip regardless of the weather conditions. Having a training partner helps to hold you accountable, inspires some friendly competition, and can create a more enjoyable team atmosphere. In the summer months, it’s a smart idea to have a partner so you can literally keep an eye on each other. Checking in on your partner by asking how they are doing is a quick and easy way to monitor their status.

5. Start smart

At the end of the day, you must listen to your body. Sometimes our egos can get the best of us, however, we must be smart. Evaluate how you’re feeling during your warm-up movements and determine whether you may need to adjust the intensity for your session. You know your body best so you need to know where your “line” is. Push yourself to improve, but be intelligent enough to know when to cut back, slow down, or even call it a day.