Stay Cool During Those Hot Summer Workouts
By Angelo R. Cioffaletti

Exercising outdoors should be enjoyable during the summer season. Warmer temperatures and bright rays of sun welcome a variety of activities. Runners leave their treadmills for the open road, the roller blades get laced up, and the mountain bike visits the local shop for a tune-up. However, certain pitfalls may be hiding in the heat, so a few adjustments may be necessary before you head out.

Training in hot weather will obviously cause you to sweat more, resulting in a greater loss of water and electrolytes, which are necessary for the regulation of body fluids and the transmission of nerve impulses. This could lead to dehydration. Drinking your favorite sports drink, such as Gatorade, PowerAde, or even just water, can help replenish lost salts and simple sugars.

If coffee is part of your routine, replenish your body with two cups of water for every cup of coffee to counteract the dehydration effects of caffeine.

The Perils of Heat Stroke
Another potential problem is heat stroke, which is when the core body temperature reaches 105 degrees. The harder you work out, the higher your core body temperature.

Heat stroke can result in death; it should not be disregarded while exercising in hot weather. Symptoms include nausea; dizziness; lightheadedness; sweating cessation; cool, clammy skin; and extremely high body temperature.

If you encounter someone with these symptoms, treat it as an emergency procedure and cool the body down as soon as possible. According to the American Red Cross, immerse the body in a cool bath, or wrap wet sheets around the body and fan it. Also, watch for signals of breathing problems. Keep the person lying down and continue to cool the body any way you can. And get emergency assistance as soon as possible.

If you must train outdoors and the forecast is for temperatures of 90 degrees or above, with high humidity, get your training in very early in the morning, at dusk, or at night, since the most extreme heat will occur in the late morning and into the afternoon.

Keep Cool
Here are some tips to help you avoid dehydration and heat stroke:

• Wear light clothing. Clothing can seal in body heat, making it more difficult for your body to breathe. Today, many sports clothing manufacturers produce all sorts of breathable fibers that help keep your body cooler.
  
  
• Warm up and stretch. To warm up, just perform a light-intensity exercise, such as a walk, jumping jacks, etc., that is short in duration, say 3 to 10 minutes. Then make sure you stretch, which will help make you more flexible and less susceptible to injury. After your activity, cool down by again doing a light-intensity exercise, along with the stretching routine. By cooling down this way, your body is able to transition back to its preactivity state.
  
  
• Drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after your activity.

Angelo R. Cioffaletti is an exercise physiologist and certified personal trainer at cyfit.com.

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