Training in the heat!

[rhyszoe]

Where I train is not air conditioned at all and in summer time here in Australia the temperature and humidity can get very high indeed which makes it difficult when attempting a work out. This week the temperatures have all been up above 30C. On the worst day the erg room was at 35C! I have been wondering whether I should be attempting short sprints when it is hot or going longer at a slower pace than I would when the temperature is more reasonable. Any thoughts?

[bisqeet]

I would invest in an air cooler/fan.
Even better a cbreeze...

http://www.ps-sport.net/nonathlon/

[hjs]

Where I train is not air conditioned at all and in summer time here in Australia the temperature and humidity can get very high indeed which makes it difficult when attempting a work out. This week the temperatures have all been up above 30C. On the worst day the erg room was at 35C! I have been wondering whether I should be attempting short sprints when it is hot or going longer at a slower pace than I would when the temperature is more reasonable. Any thoughts?

For longer rows, use drink stops and towel offs with cool water. And make sure to drink plenty during whole day. Don,t overdo it with sugar, water mostly is fine.

[rhyszoe]

I use a fan now which blows so hard it practically blows me off the seat. Perhaps being 68 years old is a factor as well when working out in the heat!

[Carl Watts]

Your pretty much forced to slow down.

It's 28 Deg C + here in the tiny erg room and sometimes I'm joined by my partner who rows at the same time on the second erg and is sucking up all my oxygen ! basically your just melting and every stroke I can feel the sweat dripping off my elbows. The floor is covered in towels.

When it hits 32 I'm pretty much finished, your sweating just sitting on the erg doing nothing and you down to CD pace for your longer rows. Current water consumption is 3 to 4 liters a day.

Would be great to have a big room with a heat pump in it to try and control the heat and humidity. Humidity here is never less than 65%. A controlled environment at about 17 Deg C and 30% humidity or less leads to massive improvements in performance.

Currently rowing online with guys in the UK, quoted temperature was -2 Deg C !

If your hitting 35 then your really limited, what I am going to try is longer distance but much slower pace and keep the HR way down. February is the worst month and usually rowing ceases, this year I need to keep going to keep up the meters.

[ArmandoChavezUNC]

If it gets to a certain temperature, you're risking causing your body more harm than good by erging in such heat.

I think it's way better to invest in a good, big fan than it is to constantly towel yourself off - keep in mind sweat only cools you down if it evaporates, it doesn't cool you down if you wipe it away. That's why a fan is such a great tool - it'll cause that sweat to evaporate, cooling you down in the process.

Though to be fair if it's so hot a fan probably won't even be enough and you'll end up drenched in sweat regardless.

Personally I use 3 fans when I erg, and that's at a comfortable ~68 degrees F (20 Celsius). One over-head, one in front, one at my back.

[Bob S.]

If it gets to a certain temperature, you're risking causing your body more harm than good by erging in such heat.

I think it's way better to invest in a good, big fan than it is to constantly towel yourself off - keep in mind sweat only cools you down if it evaporates, it doesn't cool you down if you wipe it away. That's why a fan is such a great tool - it'll cause that sweat to evaporate, cooling you down in the process.

Though to be fair if it's so hot a fan probably won't even be enough and you'll end up drenched in sweat regardless.

Personally I use 3 fans when I erg, and that's at a comfortable ~68 degrees F (20 Celsius). One over-head, one in front, one at my back.

Nothing works when the humidity gets too high and the temperature is up close to body temperature. In my area, the relative humidity is generally 30% and lower, so a little air movement is very effective. There have been times, on hikes, when the only way I know that I have been sweating if the gritty feeling of salts on my forehead from evaporation of sweat. It is not observable as a liquid. With a hat on, yes, my hat band will get soppy and if I carry a pack of any kind, my shirt will be wet under the straps.

Bob S.

[Carl Watts]

Your right Bob, heat and humidity are separate factors. It seldom gets below 65% humidity here and mid 80's is typical in Auckland. The body struggles because its the sweat evaporating that cools the body, not it dripping onto the floor. Tried to google the effects of humidity on performance but nothing definitive showed up. Humidity here can hit the 90's at which stage its like rowing in a Sauna. You sweat is just not evaporating so you loose the cooling effect.

Basically have slowed to my CD pace which is 2:08.6 and have just doubled the distance instead. Two 30 min sessions with 30min in between to re hydrate. May switch to the 1930 GMT row in the morning then do another at night, the 1930 GMT row is packed full on RowPro.

[j1huegel]

I train outdoors under a roof in Florida. In the summer it gets quite hot. I use a C-Breeze which directs a lot of air back at me.

I do notice that the pools of sweat are considerably reduced on my right side (C-Breeze side) compared to left.

Now my problem is that it's near freezing in the AM and I am rowing with a hat, jacket and long pants.