Copyright: Eduard Bopp
A young man plays football on the Rhine in the heat (photo taken in 2019).
–
Uff, such a heat! High temperatures put a lot of strain on the body. What has to be considered at 30 degrees and more for the sporting load!
It’s getting hot in Germany! At the weekend we will be overwhelmed by a real heat wave. The temperatures climb up to 38 degrees.
But despite the extreme conditions, many don’t want to give up their sport. If you want to do this, you have to pay close attention to your body. Sports scientist Prof. Dr. Ingo Froboese from the German Sport University in Cologne explains how this can work.
Copyright: imago/Eibner
Prof. Dr. Ingo Froboese is a sports scientist at the German Sport University in Cologne.
In the heat: 0.5 liters of lukewarm water before exercising
“It is extremely important to drink at least two liters of water in the first four to five hours of the day. That’s about the amount of fluid our body loses at night in this heat.
The expert also advises drinking half a liter of lukewarm water immediately before exercising. Lukewarm because the body otherwise always has to heat the water first in order to be able to process it.
If the training lasts longer than an hour, Froboese recommends drinking small sips every 15 to 20 minutes. “Permanent hydration is important for the body’s cooling system to function,” says Froboese.
The right regeneration during sport in summer
For the time after sport, it is advisable to cool down the body in doses. Ingo Froboese recommends a cold foot bath, alternatively it also helps to run cold water over your hands and forearms. Wet towels for the head or ice pads for the neck are also recommended.
“You should definitely top up on minerals – preferably with water rich in sodium,” says Froboese: “In small sips so that the body can process it.” A hot shower should be avoided at all costs. The body then sweats because it has been overheated.
Reduce stress by five to ten heartbeats in hot weather
When jogging, it makes sense to check your heart rate with a heart rate monitor and run about five to ten heartbeats slower than usual. “It is important that the body is relieved because it has to expend additional energy in the heat in order to dissipate the heat.”
In extreme heat: it is better to exercise early in the morning than late in the evening
It is advisable – especially for beginners – to avoid the “hot time” from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. If you want to exercise, you should do it either early in the morning or late in the evening. Whereby Ingo Froboese advises the early hours of the morning. “The body needs at least two hours to cool down after exercising. If there is not enough time between exercise and sleep, there is a risk that sleep will become even more restless than it already is on hot nights.”
Sport in the heat? It depends on the right clothing
The right clothing for sports in extreme heat is also very important. Ingo Froboese advises avoiding topless training or sport in a muscle shirt. He recommends functional sports clothing that wicks sweat to the outside, where it can then evaporate quickly and also cools the skin comfortably. A hat also protects against excessive exposure to the sun.
Which sports work in the heat and which don’t?
According to Ingo Froboese, there are no sports that should generally be avoided on hot days. “It’s always a question of the dose, not the type of sport,” says the sports scientist. However, it is advisable to avoid “high-intensity training” and instead do calmer alternatives such as yoga or Pilates.
Children can pursue their recreational sport even in the heat
Concerned parents are concerned that their child will not be able to go to football or tennis practice in this heat. Ingo Froboese says that this is possible without hesitation if the trainers or supervisors pay attention to certain things. “There should be more breaks and the kids should get regular shade and plenty of drinking breaks. The supervisors are also called upon to pay more attention. If they see that a child is already red in the face, they should take them out.”
When someone overheats, you can often tell by a white mouth-nose triangle. Then you should immediately go into the cool and refrain from any exertion.
–
