High temperatures and humidity can’t stop people who love playing sports and working out, who always keep going even in the hottest months of the year.
But is it really a good idea to keep training even through the summer?
The answer is yes, but taking care to follow a few simple tips for exercising indoors or outdoors.
We have identified three:
1.THE KEYWORD IS: HYDRATION
Drinking and staying constantly hydrated is a good rule of thumb all year round, especially in hot spells and situations requiring intense physical effort in which you tend to lose more fluids. We discuss this here.
While it is usually advisable to drink at least 2 litres of water a day, when exercising in the heat and outdoors the recommendation is to drink about 200ml of water every 15/20 minutes.
Expert advice is also to drink even when you don’t feel thirsty, and to integrate water-rich fruits and vegetables into meals.
2. CHOOSE THE RIGHT CLOTHING
It may seem obvious, but the right clothing can really make a difference to comfort levels while working out.
When doing both light and intense physical exercise, it’s ideal to opt for light and breathable garments that keep the skin dry and free from chafing while always maintaining the correct body temperature.
When training outdoors it’s also a good idea to wear sunscreen, a hat or bandana and a pair of sports sunglasses, all useful for protecting yourself from the sun.
3.TRAIN AT STRATEGIC TIMES OF THE DAY
When at all possible avoid working out at the hottest times of the day, such as late morning and early afternoon: you’ll expend more energy and your sports performance will suffer.
It’s advisable instead to choose more “strategic” and cooler times of the day for your training sessions, for example in the early morning or at sunset.
