Training in heat

Discussion in 'Health and Fitness' started by Southpaw535, Jul 11, 2010.

  1. Southpaw535

    Southpaw535 Well-Known Member Moderator Supporter

    Sounds like a fun pun....

    Anyway my bjj gym recently moved to a new place and we now train in a room with matted floor and walls with no AC. My instructor wants to keep it like that since he said its like training in brazil and he wants to work our conditioning a lot more anyway.

    Now I was definately working harder in that climate and sweated more than I thought possible but does training like that really improve cardio or was I just being dehydrated?

    Thanks
     
  2. Simon

    Simon Administrator Admin Supporter MAP 2017 Koyo Award

    I hate the heat, itmakes me feel unwell.

    Training started today at 09.00 and it was already very hot and opening the windows did not make much difference. I took extra care today to pause between rounds of padwork for me and my students to take on extra fluids, where in normal cool weather I would push them to carry on.

    Although I don't like the heat I use it as a motivational tool, when others are sagging I push myself through, more of a mental approach I try to nurture.

    I don't think it enhances cardio because if you can't work as hard as you normally would there would be no improvement.

    I have also used the arguement that our Phillipino counterparts are training in 100 degree heat.
     
  3. Kuma

    Kuma Lurking about

    Both places I train at are like that. One's in a modified two car garage so our main A/C is opening up both the doors and letting the air circulate. (It's during the winter that it's worse, but that's a different story). The other's a fair sized gym but it doesn't have very good A/C either. When we worked out on Thursday one of the guys I was doing padwork with commented this was the first time he's seen the fan on since he began training there over a year ago.

    Just drink a lot more water throughout the day and you'll be fine. Most people need to anyways.
     
  4. Southpaw535

    Southpaw535 Well-Known Member Moderator Supporter

    I dont have a problem with the harder work I love training and it makes it a bigger challenge. Worse DOMS but I love that too :p

    What I'm unsure of is if its better for my conditioning
     
  5. Kuma

    Kuma Lurking about

    I'd say not really much in general, just better conditioning if you have to fight when it's hot. When I was last deployed to Iraq it would hit well over 100 degrees most days when we're wearing close to 45-50kg of kit, but I never really noticed if it dramatically improved my endurance for wearing that much in a cooler climate when we got back and were doing rucks. I still got roughly the same times.
     
  6. Southpaw535

    Southpaw535 Well-Known Member Moderator Supporter

    Bummer. ok thanks man
     
  7. tkd GU

    tkd GU Valued Member

    I learned in my health and wellness class that training in the heat causes you to eventually lose less salt/electrolytes in your sweat. So yeah, it's good for you, just as long as you don't get heat stroke or something. And as far as cardio training, your heart rate is higher in heat, so your ability to move blood should also improve over time. Besides the extra physical challenges you'll be forcing your body to cope with, I'd say one will also benefit from working through the mental challenge of it. Just make sure you have the fluids you need. It will be hard at first and yes, you won't be able to do as much as in air conditioning, but just keep at it and you will be stronger from it.
     
  8. SpikeD

    SpikeD At the Frankenstein Place

    I agree with Kuma. All it will do is condition you to that climate. I would not expect it to improve your cardio much if at all but you will be at greater risk of cramps and dizziness. The extra DOMS may a symptom of the added dehydration. That will sort itself out once you are used to it. It sounds like he is just trying to save some squid by not buying and fitting an AC unit.
     
  9. slipthejab

    slipthejab Hark, a vagrant! Supporter

    We have insane heat and humidity here in HK. So if you check my vids I've posted the norm is about 30 degrees centigrade and 98% humidity. So thick you can cut it with a knife. It's not going to improve your cardio any more or less. It will take it out of you though and you can start loose coherency pretty fast if you're not used to training in it. It does present a real issue. Places I've been down in the Philippines was much much worse - sometimes to the point in the jungle where I thought I wouldn't make it out. Seriously. The heat, the humidity and the lack of view because you are in the jungle. Oh did I mention leeches? lol - you really begin to question how tough you are. What's worse is the it creeps up on you in a way you won't know.

    Keep water handy. Hyrdate steadily. Cold water can cause problems. It will pretty much sit in your stomach until it reaches body temperature so you're better off with cool water.. not ice cold water. You will be losing more salts and minerals as well... so a drink with those in it is good. One normal size bottle doesn't cut it.

    I've gotten flak from gyms before for turning off the AC... but go with it. It's a good thing. There ain't no fat people for long in my classes. :p
    Don't kid yourself... much of the world doesn't use or can't afford AC. Learn to live without it. People here in HK are soft as because of it. They get sick more, can deal with less physically and generally **** and moan if the AC isn't cranked up. Lame. Don't go that route.
     
  10. Ranzan

    Ranzan Valued Member

    My wrestling coaches thought the same thing in high school. It is stupid just makes training miserable, can't concentrate on anything else.
     
  11. Southpaw535

    Southpaw535 Well-Known Member Moderator Supporter

    Actually its the new leisure centre we've moved to haven't got off their butts and fixed it. My instructor I'm pretty sure was joking about not fixing it but he trained and lived with Vitor Robeira for a while and I think he just likes the memories. Sorry not trying to go off topic or be defensive but I dont want anyone thinking my instructor is trying to save cash (he takes home £5 profit a month if he's lucky) I have nothing but respect for him

    Great post slip thanks for that

    Ranzan right now we're all too happy having our own place and not having to train in the middle of a crowded noisy gym.

    It might well be fixed by now I missed the last couple sessions last week it was just something I discussed with fish of doom on msn and was curious
     
  12. tkd GU

    tkd GU Valued Member

    Thanks everybody for totally disregarding my input.. I only got the information from a PhD who is also a triathlete...
     
  13. Southpaw535

    Southpaw535 Well-Known Member Moderator Supporter

    Oops my bad. I got the email notification for Spike's post and went straight to that one. It makes sense to me that training in a warmer place would make your heart work faster and improve your cardio but general opinion here seems to point the other way. I dont know enough about sport science to look further into it myself
     
  14. Simon

    Simon Administrator Admin Supporter MAP 2017 Koyo Award

    Touchy Touchy.

    Just because you have not had a reply yet does not mean your information was disregarded.
     
  15. rivend

    rivend Valued Member

    It is a very hot climate where i live and when the humidity kicks in then it's brutal. People with heart or breathing problems they advise them to stay out of the heat. I have wondered this also if the heat helps condition you better. But it is just miserable actually and you don't feel like doing anything out in it for long.
     
  16. Ranzan

    Ranzan Valued Member

    Wow, since you truly believe you are correct. Post some proof, like a link. Second hand info not the best thing to trust.
     
  17. Kuma

    Kuma Lurking about

    That's called acclimatization. If you reverse it and that same person who adapted to the heat went to go train in the cold, it would negatively affect performance as well until they got used to the cold.

    High altitude training is what will really push your endurance levels above and beyond. Temperature-wise, it's not going to much at all.
     
  18. tkd GU

    tkd GU Valued Member

    Sorry, I'm not going to search the whole friggin internet to verify what I said. I don't think it's necessary, anyway. How hard do you have to think to realize training in the heat does have its benefits? If you can survive the training in the heat, then you you're better suited for any conditions(except maybe freezing temperatures).
     
  19. tkd GU

    tkd GU Valued Member

    I really doubt that an increased ability to conserve electrolytes is detrimental in cold-weather performance. Perhaps you could enlighten me? Personally, I'd think a person who bashes hot-weather training is just a wuss not willing to turn their a/c off.
     
  20. Southpaw535

    Southpaw535 Well-Known Member Moderator Supporter

    Actually the acclimatizing arguement makes sense iirc soldiers in the middle east are given time to acclimatize to the heat but they dont suddenyl have shivers and feel freezing when they come back here.
     

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