Beat the Summer Exercise Heat

The rising mercury can bring rising perks to your exercise routine, provided you take precautions and allow your body to acclimate to the hotter temperatures. But it’s a double-edged sword. You’ll need to watch for the unique health concerns related to summer workouts.

Mental toughness

Pushing yourself in the heat—and proving you can indeed do it!—may help give you a competitive edge and more mental fortitude to break through future workout challenges.

Cardio benefits

As you adjust to high temperatures, you’ll see improvements in cardiovascular function and blood flow, which may boost performance.

Metabolic flush

Exercising in high heat may help your body to better flush out lactic acid and other metabolic waste created during your workout.

Improved power

High-heat workouts may increase your power output.

Heatstroke dangers

Every year, hundreds of Americans succumb to heat illness. Similar Canadian statistics aren’t available, but we need only look at recent heat domes for a clue. For instance, the BC Coroners Service attributed 619 heat-related deaths to the extreme heat event that occurred in BC between June 25 and July 1, 2021.

“Never ignore heat exposure symptoms,” says Joseph Sudimack, MS, CSCS. “There’s an increased risk of having something mild, such as muscular cramps, or [something] life-threatening event [like] heatstroke.

“Heat-related muscular cramps are characterized by the muscle contracting involuntarily, with dehydration and electrolyte imbalance being the likely culprit,” Sudimack explains. “If your core temperature exceeds 40 C (104 F), you’re at risk of heatstroke.

6 tips to heat-proof your summer workout

“It’s easy to over-tax your body when temperatures are high,” warns personal trainer Jack Craig. Thankfully, you can build your summer body without succumbing to summer heat.

1. Start slow

“Heat acclimation doesn’t happen all at once,” says Sudimack. He recommends slowly increasing the amount of time spent outdoors to help your body adapt to the heat. It can take 10 to 14 days to acclimate.

2. Dress for the occasion

“Most guys will take off their shirts to stay cool,” says Craig. “This puts you at risk for dangerous sun exposure.” To combat this, use sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher and consider covering up.

“It seems counterintuitive, but a thin, long-sleeved sun shirt can keep you cooler by providing evaporative cooling, and by keeping the sun off your skin,” Craig suggests.

3. Shift your schedule

The sun is at its strongest between 11 am and 3 pm. “Focus on exercising early in the morning or after the sun has set,” advised Sudimack. If those aren’t options, he suggests heading indoors to a gym.

4. Increase your fluid intake

“The most obvious tip is hydration,” says certified personal trainer Mark Bohannon. “Weigh yourself before and after exercise to know how much water weight you’ve lost, and then aim to drink a little more than you’ve lost.”

5. Take extra breaks

“Stop if you feel faint, have cramps, or if something doesn’t feel right,” warns Bohannon. “It’s not worth pushing through those barriers when it’s so hot. Save the high-intensity exercises for cooler days, and be sensible!”

6. Cool down

“Extend the cool-down period,” suggests Calgary physical therapist Lalitha McSorley. “A cool-down period allows your heart rate to return to its normal state. Stretching and light cardio can help you cool down.”