Running
in amazing but unbearable heat can be seriously draining, not to mention it
can affect your pace and times. I know this puts a lot of people off, however
we can do stuff to help.
There are
techniques used by athletes called 'pre-cooling', which as the name suggests is
about lowering the body temperature before you start your workout. Which
according to the articles, this can be done from the inside or the outside. Mainly
they say this is from drinking a cold drink or cooling the skin.
There was
a study done that split a group of runners into three groups, one did no
pre-cooling, the second had a slushy and the third used iced towels, ice baths
for their arms, and even iced underwear. The results basically showed;
- During the start of the run those who had pre-cooled were able to sustain a higher intensity.
- Regardless of pre-cooling their finishing body temperatures were the same, so eventually the effects do wear off
- The effects lasted longest on those who had cooled the skin rather than the stomach.
So if you are running or want to start running, then these can help to
keep yourself going during the hot weather.
For more help, guidance or just general motivation then follow us on social media Twitter @PTElite_ and Facebook or if you want information on personal training at our private training studios for Liverpool and Wirral simply contact us on 0151 668 0250 or email info@elitefitnessconsultants.co.uk