Training in Florida Heat has its advantages but we need time to get acclimated and we need to keep our body properly fueled.
August,26th, 2023
Florida gets pretty hot and humid
Even though every year around June (and lasting into October) the temperatures here in florida start to rise, we always seem to think, “this year is hotter than the last.” we’ve all said this before and we will probably say it again next year!
The advantages to Training in the heat
Our bodies never cease to amaze scientists who devote their lives to learning about the human body and its physical abilities. As we start training more and more in the heat of the day, the body begins to adapt. WE become more efficient over time in regulating our core temperature. This happens automatically.
*This also takes a little bit of time and is why we so heavily insist that your workout intensity lowers for a while as the heat rises. Once we get used to this temperature influx we can reintroduce intensity back into our programs!
- Sweat is the number one way we cool down. Science has shown that marathon runners will naturally start to perspire more as they train longer in hot environments. One study even proves that the body can become 3 times more efficient at sweating in order to keep the body exercising at a safe and normal rate. The Findings show the runner sweating at an incredibly high rate—about three liters per hour, compared to the roughly one liter per hour for an average human.
- Other studies have shown that training in hotter climates AKA Florida can also pay off for the athlete more than the current practice of elevation training! For years and years professionals and enthusiasts alike who live at or near sea level have taken trips to higher elevations to train where the air is slightly thinner than where they live.
What makes this so interesting is not only does our body see the same adaptations as training at high altitude, we also become more adapt to training in many different temperatures! We are not pigeon holed into only hot or cooler weather to see peek performance!
Training Safely in the Florida Heat
- How do we stay safe during the summer months? We must acclimate to the elements. Everything takes time, just like when it gets cold! We all complain for a week or so, our lungs feel like we did Fran every workout, and eventually we adapt. Heat is the same way, in order to not overheat, we must dial back on how intense the workout is. Intensity in itself is worth writing a whole blog about so stay tuned for that one… Spoiler, intensity is NOT only based on your HEART RATE or ability to go FASTER
*We should always be eating as many whole foods as possible to get the correct nutrients we need to sustain exercise.Eating various proteins, fruit and vegetables, little starch and enough fats to sustain activity is the primary way to do this!
What is a supplement?
1. something that completes or enhances something else when added to it.
2. add an extra element or amount to.
When we sweat, create muscle contractions or Breathe AKA exert energy, our body is using Branched-chain amino acids, sodium, and glucose to name a few, to fuel our body. Just like a fire stays burning from the addition of wood, our body needs to be replenished so our “fire” doesn’t go out. If we don’t replenish these key fuel sources, not only will our efforts fall short in the gym, our body will not function well in our everyday life. This can lead to serious repercussions like heat exhaustion, dizziness, nausea and heat stroke.
What supplements should I take?
I like to start with Sodium (electrolytes). This can come in many forms and is available in many products. The simplest way is to take Hymilian sea salt and add it to your daily drinking water. I know yall are drinking close to a gallon a day so add it to that!You can also purchase LMNT which we have onsite. Also we have BCAA+Salt to make sure you cover all your bases.
H20! Drink plenty of water! If your body’s hydration level drops by 3% you become thirsty. Once you reach 4-5% you can actually feel symptoms of dehydration. At this point you need to stop and reset! Get out of the Florida heat, drink water, add some A/C and relax until you feel better.
BCAA’s (Branched-chain amino acids) These are the last supplements we will be talking about. Amino acids are the building blocks for the body’s functionality. Everything you eat and drink is broken down into its simplest element and or acid to be distributed throughout the body.
Training in Florida Heat -take away
You can find endless research papers talking about all of these supplements and their benefits. The takeaway is that we need to pay attention to how we feel as we train in the Florida heat. Well before we become acclimated to the Heat, we must make sure we supplement properly. Make sure your fuel tank is always full as we set out on this road trip, if we need gas during the workout, we are too late and will surely “run out of gas.”
