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3 fans running in tandem is simple not enough. Perhaps A. C. could be a solution. I still have not fitted an A. C. inside my home gym and feeling the heat of that folly. Even correct nutrition and proper hydration can’t be enough in sweltering heat like today.
This is a no brainer. Water, just a bit chilled, (not that cold to give you a sore throat) needs to be taken at frequent intervals. 1-2 hours before exercise, drink 1-2 liters of plain water for prehydration. If you can’t drink it at one go, try it in 2 to 3 parts within half an hour. But if the climate seems too exhausting, keep a 6-8% carb drink handy during exercise.
Before and after exercise, at least a glass of water is mandatory. Even carry on sipping water (at least half to one glass) every 10 to 15 minutes or even more if you feel thirsty. This is extremely important for exercise in summer. Without this you have serious chance of heat cramps or heat exhaustion. These are dangerous complications in summer days. Stop immediately if you feel any muscle cramp, dizziness, headache, extreme fatigue. Listen to you body first!
Remember, extreme level of heat and exercise have caused cases of even heat stroke that may be fatal. This is not very common and don’t let these be any excuse for not working out. But never forget the water intake part.
If you can pull 3 solid reps of 100 kg deadlift, time to try 80 kg this summer. Do few more reps, if you can. That was just for an example. This is applicable to all heavy, whole body, compound movements. Even reduce the intensity in those high calorie burning as well as those HIIT exercises.
An optimum recommendation is to go for 80% of your max intensity capacity. To calculate intensity consider rep max in case of strength training or heart rate in case of cardio. In HIIT cycles of 14 kph speed at the treadmill, go for 11-12 kph high speed intervals. Don’t forget to keep on sipping water throughout!
Another point is to take ample rest. Don’t try to hurry between the sets. Let the things cool down. Even use the ‘cooling down’ process by slowly reducing intensity during cardio. Take a bath after workout (a must in hot Indian summer) and rest awhile before moving out.
Don’t believe in all those superstitions like sweat burn = fat burn. This is utter Bulls hit, sweating being only a means for your body to cool down. Working out in A. C. or a cool ambient temperature is extremely useful to have a better workout. If A. C. is not available, increase airflow by using fans (more than one, for desired results).
Being a pediatrician, I see lots of children with diarrhea, vomiting and reflux/acidity. Don’t gulp in any oily, deep fried, spicy or any rich food. Having such a meal followed by heavy training can easily lead to nausea and vomiting. Even exercise with full stomach is really not easy.
Complex carbs before exercise and simple carbs and protein after workout is the correct way to go. For summer, decrease the portion size and increase the frequency. In simpler terms, eat frequent small meals. Stay light during workout.
Also beware of the diuretic drinks ie those which remove water from body like tea, coffee, alcohol etc. Try to keep them in moderation. Coffee as a preworkout is good, but drink more water to avoid dehydration. Read more on coffee and it’s benefits.
This is an often ignored part. Check it’s importance in an old post on Micronutrient deficiency. Along with sweating, lots of sodium and potassium is being lost. Electrolyte solution as well as ORS can be used for this purpose. But try to avoid those costly, caffeinated, sugary commercial energy drinks. They will make you dehydrated and worsen your summer problems.
A simple solution is to use salty lime water, coconut water etc. Pink Himalayan salt is a good option as it will provide the potassium too. Avoid using fruit juice, drink whole fruits whenever required.
Remember, most of the neurological symptoms during workout in hot seasons are mostly due to this water and electrolyte disbalance. Take care of the water intake and electrolyte maintenance part. There will be hardly any chance of facing problems during working out in summer.
Tight restrictive, polyester clothing, especially those worn in gyms and workouts need to be avoided. Loose fitting cotton clothes is the best option for you.
Our body has an unique cooling mechanism by sweating and dissipating the body heat. Regular bath and loose, free clothing is the best way to allow evaporation to take place. Restrictive, fancy clothing can hamper the heat loss mechanism and can be a huge problem.
So that’s the way to beat the heat. Summer is definitely not a reason to stop working out. Just maintain proper hydration and electrolyte balance. Don’t try to hard, take ample rest keep your ego at check by just going one notch down in intensity. Lastly proper nutrition, apparel and cool ambience can see you carry on your workouts happily and smartly as ever.
Just don’t stop you exercise habit. Stay fit, stay healthy round the year. Also keep reading https://easyfitnessidea.com for many more, useful fitness and nutrition tips.
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