For anyone living in the Lower Mainland, you have most likely experienced the record highs we’ve been having.
I was recently interviewed by a local radio station, News1130, for some tips on exercising in the heat. Being that I didn’t get to hear the end result, I’m not sure which bits of gold they took from my interview, so I thought I would provide you with my Top 5 Do’s and Do Not’s of exercising in the heat.
Do Not’s…
- DO NOT take up a new, outdoor sport at this moment. If you were thinking it’s time to start jogging, wait until the temperature drops a bit and then give it a shot.
- DO NOT overexert yourself if you are overweight/obese, elderly or a child.
- DO NOT exercise in the hottest part of the day. Instead, aim for early mornings if possible.
- DO NOT forget to hydrate. The 8-12 cups of water per day does not include exercise and does not include hot conditions. Your water intake needs to be adjusted accordingly.
- DO NOT use the expression ‘hot enough for ya?’. It’s totally dorky. And yes, it is amply hot for everyone so don’t be that guy (or girl) and say that line.
Do’s…
- DO…continue to exercise, but modify the pace and intensity. For every degree your internal temperature goes up, your heart rate may increase as much as 10 beats per minute. This means it will take less effort to reach your normal capacity.
- DO…wear lighter, breathable clothing and a hat.
- DO…wear appropriate sunscreen. Duh.
- DO…hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. This is so important, I typed it 3 times.
- DO…use this as an opportunity to try something new. Perhaps swimming where it’s cooler. Perhaps something indoors with air conditioning.
Hmmm… That reminds me, I do know of a great personal training studio….
So there you have it. Excessive heat is not a reason to stop exercise, but you do want to proceed with caution.
Here’s the link to the original article:
http://www.news1130.com/news/local/more.jsp?content=20090730_102530_10008
