Surviving the Summer Heat

There is no denying that summer is HOT down here, but this doesn't mean you should lock yourself in your house and no longer workout. There are safe ways to continue to workout in the heat and enjoy yourself while doing so. Two things you need to do to have a safe and effective workout.
Hydrate and Acclimatize
When you wake in the morning you should drink an 8-16oz cup of water to hydrate (about 2 hours before exercising). You should be fully hydrated before beginning your workout. Also bring two bottles of water with you to class to drink throughout the workout and have enough for after class. Since our classes are only 55 minutes you do not need to have drinks which replace electrolytes, but if you choose to do so I recommend Smart Water over the more caloric drinks.
If you have been working out at least 2-3 days a week with us for the past few weeks your body has already acclimated to the heat. It usually takes 2 weeks for the body (heart rate, plasma volume, and electolyte concentration) to acclimatize; so start slowly and listen to your body-if you don't feel well, don't push it. With enough hydration and time your body will begin to acclimate to the hotter weather and you will soon begin to enjoy exercising in this type of weather.

Hope to see everyone join us this summer!

(Information obtained from IDEA Magazine. "Exercising in the Heat" by Jason Karp, PHD.)