It’s beginning to feel a lot like summer! If you’ve lived in Arkansas long enough, you know summers here are… something else. It gets really hot and really humid REALLY fast, but how does that affect our time in the gym? Should we just give up and let the Arkansas heat ruin our progress? Nay I say! Let’s take a look at a few ways you can keep up with your goals while avoiding being miserable.
1. Stay very hydrated.
Pay close attention to what fluids you are putting in your body. While that iced coffee may be tempting, that’s not what your body needs on a 98 degree day. In fact, you may want to reconsider just drinking water. Sports drinks such as gatorade are high in sodium, which is not usually a good thing, but when you are sweating heavily, you are losing sodium. The human body requires a small amount of sodium to conduct nerve impulses, contract and relax muscles, and maintain the proper balance of water and minerals. Strike a balance between drinking water and sports drinks when working out in the extreme heat and for long periods of time.
2. Consider an early morning workout.
If you are an early bird, consider spending your mornings getting your aerial workout in. If you are not an early bird, maybe consider being one for the summer, because this is the coolest time of day. Even the evenings can still have that lingering heat. Do yourself a favor and take advantage of those early morning gym times this summer. Your body will thank you!
3. Wear light-breathable clothing
While we want to still dress for the apparatus, we also need to be cool. Yes, you should absolutely still wear leggings while training aerial and cover as much of your arms and stomach as is required by the skills you are working on, but that clothing can be a light and absorbent fabric that keeps you cool and protects your skin.
4. Listen to Your Body!
Sometimes it can just be too hot! It’s okay to stop training if you begin to feel overwhelmed by the heat. If you are sweating way more than usual and feeling dizzy, weak, and/or nauseous then you may be suffering from heat exhaustion. Move in front of a fan and drink cool water. If after a few minutes you still feel these symptoms, see a staff member so they can call for medical attention.
