Summer is the time when you simply have to work out in order to keep your body in shape. Alas, it’s also the time when doing your favorite exercise routines can also become rather dangerous. Even if you are working out in an air-conditioned gym, you still need to watch out for overheating.
If you want to exercise outdoors, which is a great choice as it’s incredibly pleasant to enjoy the fresh air and warm sunlight when you jump and bend to stay fit, you need to be even more careful. We hope that our simple tips will help you enjoy a productive workout and stay healthy regardless of where you choose to exercise.
- Stay hydrated.
You need to increase your water intake during summer workouts. Discuss this matter with your trainer or simply take a bigger bottle outdoors when you go out to exercise. Listen to your body and drink whenever you feel even a ghost of thirst while going through your routine. - Dress appropriately.
It’s natural that you want to shed as many clothes as possible when it’s hot, and you will feel even hotter when you work out. It’s ok to wear only skimpy shorts and a top when you work out during the summer, but you need to choose the right fabric. It’s best to go for cotton or specialized “cooling” sports clothes designed specifically for summer workouts. Stick with lighter colors, as they should help you feel cooler. - Find a partner.
Accidents happen all the time, so there is always a risk when you decide to work out outdoors while it’s still hot outside. Having a partner with you will ensure that even if something does happen, you will get help immediately. This is especially important if you are fond of long jogs around the neighborhood. - Change your exercise routine to suit the season.
You will tire faster when it’s hot outside, so you shouldn’t push yourself too hard. At the same time, you need to maintain the intensity of your training in order to make sure it stays efficient. Therefore, you need to make some changes to your exercise routine. Cut down on power training when you choose to work out outdoors and be careful when you do cardio exercises as they will make your blood pump faster, which may not be a good thing when you are already hot. - Stay indoors during the day.
If you are fond of lunch-hour workouts, you need to stay indoors no matter how much you want to enjoy the fresh air while exercising. The sunshine is the hottest between 11 and 4, so you shouldn’t take the unnecessary risk.
When you decide to work out outdoors, you need to stay in touch with your feelings so that you can notice the dangerous symptoms of heatstroke or heat exhaustion and stop whatever you are doing in time to prevent fainting or otherwise hurting yourself. The signs you need to watch out for are:
- Extremely hot, dry skin
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Seeing black spots before your eyes
- Muscle cramps
- Chills and cold sweat
- Headache
- Fast, shallow breathing
- Confusion
Another thing you need to remember when you work out during the summer is that you will definitely look like a mess after this. There is no way for you to avoid excessive sweating, flushed skin and enlarged pores. Therefore, you need to take special care with your post workout beauty routine.
