Bhubaneswar: It’s difficult to shape up during the summer season. High temperatures make regular workouts uncomfortable, extra tedious and inhibit performance. Moreover, the biggest challenge is to step out of the room and head towards the gym under the blazing sun. But, does this calls for escaping the exercise sessions at gyms? Well, the fitness freaks in city are against such escapades. They are ever-ready to battle against the extreme weather conditions and burn out the extra calories at gyms, without any fail. It’s just that they ‘adjust a bit’ to stay fit in summers. The fitness experts and enthusiasts in city shared their summer workout hacks with Orissa Post.
Take a cool shower before workout
“During summer season, we tend to looses stamina and endurance in comparison to other seasons. Body looses water and dehydration is a common problem. We must try to adjust our body temperature by taking cold shower before the workout. The pre-exercise cool down will improve performance because it lowers the heart rate as well as core and skin temperature. Even cooling your neck or head with an ice pack will be enough,” Siddharth Mohanty, a gym instructor in Cuttack, said.
Be slow, but steady
“Some people stop workout during summer to save themselves from the heat. But this can have drastic effects on the body as stopping workout or exercise for a long period will change the body mass and weight. It can be dangerous for the health, so regular exercise is needed. You should maintain your fitness level and should do your regular cardio like walking, running, swimming, or biking at a slightly slower pace to prevent excessive fatigue during extreme heat,” Janmejaya Mohanty, Orissa’s leading bodybuilder, said. “You can take the help of heart-rate monitor watch to make sure that you’re not pushing yourself too hard in warm-weather conditions, which can increase your risk of heat exhaustion or even cause heatstroke,” he added. The fitness freak also insisted on the need to rest for at least 3o minutes by sitting in cold place immediately after the workout. Mohanty also suggested gym goers to drink water and take up swimming in summers.
Smoothies, juices are must
“I can’t stop going to gym despite extreme weather conditions. Before exercising, I drink a variety of fluids. These drinks contain more than 80 percent water and are mixed with fruit extracts such as grapes, watermelon, cantaloupe, and honey. This will boost your energy post-workout as well. You can also have smoothies, frozen yoghurts, or jell-o with fruit chunks. They provide the perfect mix of carbs and fluids. They’re easily digestible,” said a fitness enthusiast from Saheed Nagar area, Sumit Ray.
Get rid of protein bars
“One must avoid protein bars before the workout. It might elevate your body temperature and will make you feel hotter. If you want, you can keep them for post workout hours to help you build some muscles. In summers, keep your diet less spicy and get rid of excess carbs and fats. Go for boiled and blunt diet for a while till the heat goes away. Eating right will also boost your energy levels while working out,” said health expert Nityananda Swain.
Arindam Ganguly,OP
