Stay Fit And Play Safe During The Summer Months

Maintaining your fitness during the hot months means avoiding exhaustion and exercising smart

- Shrenik Avlani

As the summer progresses and temperatures rise, many people are likely to second-guess their training routine, especially if it involves outdoor workouts. The intense heat makes maintaining performance and intensity levels difficult.

Outdoor exercise is an enjoyable way for individuals to improve fitness, but it is dependent on weather conditions, notes Dr. Ajay Aggarwal, director and head of internal medicine at Fortis Hospital, Noida. "When we exercise, we generate internal heat, which our bodies shed by sweating and shunting the warm blood away from our cores and toward the skin. When the ambient temperatures rise, though, this process falters. Body heat builds up. Our hearts labour to send additional blood toward the skin. We glisten with sweat, and the same run, stroll, or ride that felt tolerable during cooler weather now drains us," he explains.

Some planning and minor tweaks in your training plan and routine can help you navigate the summer months without compromising your fitness, say health and fitness experts. One way to side-step heat is to simply move the workouts indoors. In case you can't change your workout times, you could adjust the intensity of your training.