{"id":15792,"date":"2012-07-22T17:30:13","date_gmt":"2012-07-22T22:30:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.fitzness.com\/blog\/?p=15792"},"modified":"2014-10-29T10:35:04","modified_gmt":"2014-10-29T15:35:04","slug":"beat-the-summer-heat-like-olympians-kerri-walsh-and-misty-may-traenor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fitzness.com\/blog\/beat-the-summer-heat-like-olympians-kerri-walsh-and-misty-may-traenor\/","title":{"rendered":"Beat the Summer Heat like Olympians Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Traenor"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo Credit: womenshealthmag.com<\/p><\/div>\n

In preparation for the 2012 London Olympics<\/strong>, Women’s Health Magazine’s<\/em> July\/August issue features the fitness and beauty tips from some of Team USA’s brightest stars. Olympians are the ultimate workout warriors, but even elite athletes have to be cautious of the brutal summer heat.<\/p>\n

“When I was younger, I thought I’d look weak if I took breaks or got an ice towel,”<\/em> says beach volleyball super star Kerri Walsh. “But I realize now that taking precautions is just being smart and setting yourself up for success.”<\/em><\/p>\n

When the summer heat has the mercury rising you have to be careful. Temperatures above 70 F can stress your body’s’ cooling mechanisms, but when the thermometer hits 90 F your skin can’t effectively dissipate heat.<\/p>\n

Here are some tips for surviving the summer courtesy of\u00a0Women’s Health<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Avoid the Danger Zone:\u00a0<\/strong>Early morning is the safest time to exercise outdoors in the heat of summer. Working out after the sun goes down can also reduce your risk.<\/p>\n

Chill Out Before you Workout: <\/strong>Taking an ice bath, a cold shower, or just sitting in a very cool room before you workout can do wonders for beating the heat. It cools your internal body temperature and increases your ability to endure the heat.\u00a0Walsh and Misty May-Treanor dip their hats into ice water and drape cold towels around their necks during water breaks.<\/p>\n

Drink up: <\/strong>You can lose up to two lbs. of water during a one hour run. Make sure to consume fluids every 15-20 minutes.<\/p>\n

Cut Down on Intensity:\u00a0<\/strong>Have a high-intensity workout scheduled? Take it inside. No can do? Switch to a shorter, less intense workout, or save your tough session for another day.<\/p>\n

Cover Up: <\/strong>Direct sunlight increases your body temperature and sunburns damage your sweat glands, making for a bad combination.<\/p>\n

Team USA rower Erin Cafaro wears a long-sleeve shirt, a hat, sunglasses, lib balm\u00a0with SPF, and sunscreen on any exposed ski during her two hour workouts.<\/p>\n

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Erin Cafaro Photo Credit: Womenshealthmag.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Keep it Short:<\/strong>\u00a0Take breaks as needed to keep your body temperature and heart rate from skyrocketing.<\/p>\n

“None of the other athletes were working out back then because it was so hot,”<\/em> says Misty May-Treanor on training for the 2004 Athens Olympics. “We got through it by doing drills for 10 minutes, then going to sit in the shade.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Don’t Push it:\u00a0<\/strong>Exercising in hot weather can sap your endurance and strength while upping your risk for heat-related illnesses, namely heat exhaustion and heat stroke.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Don’t let the heat interrupt your workouts. If these tips work for America’s gold medalists they will certainly work for you.<\/p>\n\n