The rise in temperatures, typical of summer, is no excuse to stop practicing your favorite sport. Going for a run, taking a good bike ride or playing a game of paddle tennis are still the ideal way to stay in top shape. Don’t give up exercising outdoors when the heat is on, but do so by following these tips.
Just as you protect yourself from the cold of winter, when you do sports in summer it is also important to adapt your physical activity to the weather conditions. When the thermometer “fumes”, you must take the necessary precautions to avoid that something as healthy as exercising ends up having bad consequences.
The suffocating heat causes your own body temperature to rise even more when doing sports, accelerating the heart rate and increasing peripheral blood circulation. Cramps, dizziness, heat stroke or a dangerous heat stroke can result from exercising outdoors with high temperatures if we do not apply preventive measures to avoid it.
How to play sports outdoors in hot weather
Do you want to exercise but it’s hot? You do not have to give up the physical activity that you practice regularly. With the arrival of heat, you simply have to adapt it to the new conditions to safely enjoy outdoor exercise.
1. Decide when and where
It is a measure of common sense that we sometimes forget in our desire to exercise, perhaps, in that one free time we have. With a blazing sun and 40 degrees, it is simply reckless to go for a run at noon. Exercising in high heat requires you to choose the right time and place.
It is always preferable to exercise first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon , better in a shady place or at least where fresh air arrives, for example running through a park or riding a bike along a promenade where you can feel the sea breeze .
2. Reduce the intensity of exercise
High temperatures are not the ideal condition to try to beat your own records. Playing sports outdoors with heat is possible, but always without straining your body as much as possible. In this situation, you must take special care to control the rhythm of your exercise, opting for a softer one than the one you can follow in winter.
Also, it’s important to pay attention to signs that something is wrong. Measure your effort and remember that any feeling of dizziness or discomfort requires stopping the activity immediately and finding a cool place to recover.
3. Diet and hydration
They are basic all year round but with the arrival of the heat, even more so. Exercise in summer leads to increased sweating and loss of fluids and mineral salts. Drinking enough water is essential for outdoor sports in high temperatures. Hydrate before, during and after exercise, always drinking moderate amounts of fluids but more frequently. Thus, with good hydration, you will help maintain body temperature at the appropriate levels, avoiding the risk of dehydration and its consequences.
A light diet, rich in water, vitamins and minerals is also essential for sports in summer. Fruits such as melon or watermelon, vegetables, soups and cold creams such as gazpacho. Your diet must respond to the specific needs of your body at the hottest time of the year. Especially avoid alcoholic beverages and excess fat.
3. Appropriate clothing and sun protection
Good equipment is your best ally when exercising in a lot of heat. Choose light garments that allow optimal perspiration and that are preferably in light tones, because they concentrate the action of the sun’s rays to a lesser extent.
Always wear a cap on your head and don’t forget the importance of applying a good cream with high sun protection, even on cloudy days, because only then will you avoid burns.
4. Enjoy the water
Water sports will be your great ally to exercise in hot weather. Swimming , aqua gym , surfing, paddle surfing, canoeing, windsurfing. If it’s hot, nothing better than combining the sport that you practice all year round with other activities that offer the option of a good dip. Thus, you will do a very appealing cross training.
