The heavy heat that prevails this week requires us to be especially careful not to get into a state of dehydration • Omar Rosenberg explains what is allowed and what is not allowed in training in the bush

• Practicing in the bush

  Photo: 

  Reut Thierry

In recent weeks the gym and studio have been in the headlines. When it was decided to close them, many chose to practice outside the home. Even now, when the instructions have changed, some people prefer to practice in the open air. In these cases it is important to remember that when it comes to the weather, Israel is not Europe.

Summer is here in all its glory, and the heat loads can be felt at any moment. Training conditions vary, and alongside the humidity and high temperatures we want to continue training, but it needs to be done safely.

Smart and careful: do's and don'ts

Right to do

Training in the gym with air conditioning is not the same as training outside. On days like now, when the temperature and humidity are high, the body is required to work harder to cool itself, and the heart rate increases. Therefore, our recommendation - if you are training outdoors, lower your training intensity, go for lower pulse training. This is not the time for sprint training or hard intervals.



Allow your body to gradually adjust to the new conditions - this is a process that takes several weeks, and even if you are in good shape, give yourself the time and your body the opportunity to get used to it.

Drink plenty of water. This is an instruction that is always repeated, but it is important to remember that drinking helps us maintain the fluid balance in the body and together with the other precautionary rules we can be kept from dehydration and other heat injuries.

The duration of the activity is also important here - in short activities under 60 minutes, water will suffice, with the recommendation being to drink a glass of water every 15-20 minutes. But if it is a longer activity, it is important to understand that through the sweating mechanism the body loses other essential substances such as salts and minerals, so we recommend stocking up on energy drinks rich in energy and minerals.



Pay attention to warning signs - if you have trained in the heat or done too hard training in climatic conditions that the body is not used to and you feel headaches, nausea, muscle cramps or shortness of breath, stop training immediately, look for a shady place and drink water immediately. These signs can signal to us the danger that can lead to heat stroke and dehydration - do not play with it.



Wrong to do

Do not exercise during heavy heat. The hours when the radiation reaches its peak are between 12: 00-17: 00, try to choose the ends of the day to practice, such as the early morning hours 6: 00-9: 00 or from 18:00 in the evening, sunset hours. 

If you like to run long distances, start early in the morning and calculate the duration of the workout so that it ends as the temperatures rise. If you are a person of shorter workouts, go for strength training workouts at a pleasant pace to work and do not get to the edge.

High temperature training lean? Mistake. It is true that such a workout will make you sweat and lose more fluids, but this is an important warning - do not be tempted to do so, as the fluids you lose are not excess fat and are essential for the effective functioning of your body. Loss of fluids is dangerous and not what you are looking for.

And finally you must have asked yourself - and what about the mask? No need to practice outside with a mask. It is true that it has become an integral part of us, but when it comes to strenuous physical activity indoors or outdoors, training with a mask is not the right thing to do and may even impair the functioning of the respiratory system that provides oxygen to our body, and when it comes to heat and humidity. .

And do not forget - exercise is the health of us all.

The writer is a fitness trainer and owner of NEXT FITNES