Looking for some cool solutions to keep your workout on track during the hot summer months? Here are four hot weather workout tips
Take a cold shower before your workout
A German study has found that a pre-exercise cool down improves performance in the heat — probably because it lowers your heart rate as well as core and skin temperatures. Even cooling your neck or head with an ice pack can help. Dabbing a few drops of peppermint or eucalyptus oil on the back of your neck and at your temples before a workout also provides a cooling effect and opens up your nasal passages, helping you breathe easier if the air is humid.
Choose dirt paths over concrete
Asphalt and concrete tend to radiate heat and reflect the sun’s rays, making you feel hotter so stick to dirt or gravel paths if you’re a runner, walker or cyclist. If you’re lucky enough to live near the sea, start your run/walk/cycle with the sea breeze at your back so you’ll be running back into a headwind, which is cooler.
Modify your cardio speed
Stick to your regular cardio workout, whether it’s walking, running, swimming or cycling, but choose a slightly slower speed, adding 30-second speed bursts every three to five minutes. That will help you burn calories without overheating your body. Also, use a heart-rate monitor to ensure you are not pushing yourself too hard in warm-weather conditions, which can up your risk of heat exhaustion or even heatstroke.
Fill up with fruit
Snacking on grapes, watermelon, muskmelon and other water rich fruit is the best way to replenish fluids and boost energy after a workout. Containing almost 80% water, they are your best bet. Fruit smoothies or fruit chunks with curd are also a good choice as they provide the perfect mix of carbs and fluid and are easily digestible in the summer heat.
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Written by Shaik Moyeenuddin
A fitness enthusiast from a young age, Shaik Moyeenuddin was so inspired by workouts that the former MBA decided that crunches had to become his career. An ACE-certified fitness specialist, he is also a Body Transformation Specialist certified by Physique Elite and regular contributor to publications like Stayfit, Fitness Guru, Pulse and Posedownmag.com. He believes his productivity has gone up along with his push-up count, and says he feels “younger, smarter and more confident” than ever at this stage in his life. Calling himself more a coach than trainer, his goal is to inspire HealthifyMe users to appreciate how fitness can be a transforming experience. Trainer to CEOs and politicians today, Shaik evaluates fitness levels based on a client’s approach to life, lifestyle and strength, for which he tests their muscle endurance, core strength, agility, speed, cardio-vascular strength and balance. His advice to fitness buffs? Eat healthy and don’t tie yourself to targets, enjoy your workout instead.
