Exercising In The Heat

Last Thursday, in the midst of the intense heat wave smothering a significant swath of the United States, I had the unfortunate luck to have only a window of time from 2:30 to 4:00 PM to fit in my exercise. Being an avid runner, this meant being out in 100 degree weather for nearly an hour and a half. Exercising in the heat is not an easy thing to do, and it can be difficult to do safely and effectively in such extreme weather. However, it is possible to get your workout done in this any other degree of heat, if a specific set of rules is followed. Abiding by them allows you to get your needed exercise in, even in the heat of summer. Following these rules is the only thing that allowed me to complete me run, and doing so allowed me to complete it safely. These rules are:

Stay Hydrated
Keeping your body filled with water is far and away the most important aspect of exercising in the heat. The human body can sweat up to 2.5 liters per hour in hotter conditions or higher intensities. That's 2/3 of a gallon, or 85 oz. Staying hydrated is beyond crucial. Drinking some extra fluids immediately before exercising as well can top off your stores. I considered this step my number one priority prior to leaving on my run last Thursday.

Don't Push Yourself Too Hard
Extreme heat is not the time to up the intensity of your exercise unless you are very, very used to the conditions. Higher intensity means a significantly higher sweat rate and risk of dehydration. Your muscles work harder in the heat as well, so your ability to perform will be lessened. Hotter wealth is not the time to push yourself but to just slow down, take things easy, and save your harder workout for another day.

Monitor Yourself
Keep an eye on how your body feels. If dehydration is coming, you want to know it. Symptoms of dehydration can include: dry mouth, nausea, muscle cramps, lightheadedness, and weakness, and decreased urine output. Note: you become thirsty after reaching a moderately dehydrated point. Don't wait for your thirst to show before drinking water.


Use The Proper Equipment
Try use as limited clothing as possible, and use cooler, lighter options when possible. Also, if you are exercising for a longer period of time, a handheld water bottle might be a good option to carry with you. Another thing to keep in mind is the sun; on a hot day, you can get sunburned. Sunscreen is an often overlooked, but important, item to use.


Replenish What You Lose
It goes without saying that you need to drink water after your exercise. Your thirst alone will tell you that. People often don't consider that you need to replace other things as well, such as electrolyte stores. Sodium, one electrolyte, is lost in sweat in large quantities, and potassium is lost as well to a smaller degree. Lower or unbalanced amounts of these two minerals can result in painful muscle cramps, both during and after exercise. Eat some salty foods, or eat high potassium ones such as bananas and oranges. Electrolyte loss during exercise can be almost as dangerous as water loss, and is something to keep track of.

Avoid The Hotter Parts Of The Day
The morning and evening are the coolest parts of the day, and this is absolutely something to take advantage of. Try and organize your schedule so you exercise around these times, if possible. This can make a huge difference. If you must exercise at hotter times, like I had to last Thursday, make sure to follow the previously rules even more stringently.

Running in the heat of summer is harder, but definitely doable. More caution and planning is needed to be safe, but if care is taken the heat won't be able to put the brakes on your workout. Simply follow the steps above, and you can get through your workout in any hot temperature!