Taking the Heat

Although the hot summer sun may be a little intimidating, it also provides us with many positive reasons to train. On the other hand, if we don't prepare and replenish our bodies properly we could also see some negative side effects. So lets take a moment to go through the benefits as well as how we can prevent any negative side effects of training in the heat...

First lets make a list of the benefits.

Training in the heat:

* Reduces the chance of injury
* Detoxes the body through a good sweat!
* Keeps our muscles loose and helps to increase flexibility
* Cleanses our skin when wearing a Gi. The friction of the Gi against the skin
and sweat gives a good healthy scrub
* Inspires us to eat healthy
* Inspires us to drink more water
* Strengthens the mind
* You keep improving

Wow! To me these are some great reasons to train in the heat but we have to be sure we take care of our selves or we could end up dehydrated. Dehydration is the one major concern with training in the heat. Most other side effects from training in the heat are really side effects of dehydration. Here are some side effects or symptoms of dehydration:

Mild dehydration:

* thirst
* fatigue
* decreased appetite
* heat intolerance
* light headiness
* small amounts of dark urine.


Severe Dehydration will include:

* difficulty swallowing
* shriveled - dry skin
* stumbling
* sunken eyes and pour vision
* delirium
* muscle spasms.



To help you avoid dehydration, here are some tips and facts:

* Drink two glasses of water first thing in the morning to help cleanse your kidneys and detoxify your system.

* You should drink at least half your body weight in ounces daily.

* On a regular day, drinking 4 to 8 ounces of water an hour is ideal.

* Always try to keep fluids like juice, non-caffeinated beverages and water accessible. Foods like fruits and vegetables and soups can have a hydrating effect. Salty foods increase your need for water.

* Up to 2 hours before exercise you should have at least 24 ounces of fluid. Drink 8 to 16 ounces 15 minutes before to off set early exercise fluid losses.

* Hot and adverse conditions can cause dehydration in as little as 15 minutes. Drink 8-10 ounces of water every 20 min. during exercise.

* Drink before you’are thirsty! By the time your brain signals thirst, you will have lost 1% of your body weight. By 2% dehydration, you may have reduced your performance by 10-15%.

* After your workout, drink to quench your thirst and then drink more! You want to make sure you keep drinking water until you urinate and then drink some more!

* Juices(especially orange or banana or banana/orange blend), replace not only fluid but also carbohydrates and potassium. 2 or 3 cups within on hour past your workout can help you better recover from a tough workout.



In order to train hard, reap the benefits of training in the heat and maintain peek performance you must remain hydrated! If you are properly hydrated you should be urinating frequently throughout the day, morning, noon and night. Your urine should be a clear color, and in significant quantity. So in the end it is simple

DRINK LOTS OF WATER, TRAIN HARD, REAP BENEFITS!