Like Hot Yoga…. is that a thing?
Let’s face it: the gym is like an infrared sauna right now. It’s HOT in there!!
Did you know that your athletic performance can be negatively affected by dehydration and elevated heat? There’s a lot of research out there that accounts for the effect of heat and dehydration on your cardiovascular and thermoregulatory systems. This can help explain why you feel your workouts are so much harder when it’s hot outside AND inside, and why you may be seeing a decrease in your athletic performance lately.
Here are some important tips to help you all survive your sweaty summer workouts:
- Drink cool, plain water during and following exercise
- If you are able, try to exercise during the cooler times of day whenever possible (first thing in the morning or later in the evening). And if you’re exercising outside, do your best to avoid the peak times when there is more heat directly from the sun (usually 11:00 a.m. to about 2:00 p.m.)
- Consider having a sports drink if you’re exercising for more than an hour, or if you happen to be working out in extreme heat.
- If you’re exercising for a longer period of time and are wanting to really stay in tune with your body, weigh yourself before and after your workout and drink 2 cups of water for every pound of fluid you’ve lost.
According to MedicineNet.com,
“the rule of thumb is to drink 8 ounces of a sport drink or water possibly every 20 minutes,” says Maharam, who advises the ING New York Marathon. No more, no less. “If you are exercising less than 40 minutes, water is fine, but for anything over 40 minutes, you want a sports drink that has sugar or salt in it because this helps you increase the fluid that goes into the body. Most sports drinks contain the equivalent of an “active pump” that gets more water into the body faster than the unassisted process — simple diffusion of water — would have. When choosing a sports drink, look for salt and sugar on the label and choose a flavor that you like. “
So, there you have it. The experts (and all your Coaches!) agree that you should pay special attention to staying hydrated while you get your WOD on this summer.
Bottoms up! 
Coaches Notes:
- We did this workout July 2nd, we would like to see you challenge yourself by lifting heavier (5-10lbs more) this time around.
- The focus still is on perfect form for each rep and muscular strength rather than endurance. This means, choosing a heavier weight and doing less rounds.
- Choose a weight that you can do a round every 1 -2 minutes. If you are completing 20 or more rounds (and you are not RX), then you have scaled too much.
