Sports tips for warm weather

With the warm weather, many people forget to take extra precautions when they exercise outside. We have listed a few tips for you.

By training in warm weather, the body has to make extra effort to get rid of the heat, for example by opening the blood vessels in the skin and by sweating more.

Read also: 'Is it wise to exercise when it's hot?'

Blood vessels

When the body opens the blood vessels, more blood comes to the skin. As a result, however, the muscles receive less blood (and therefore less oxygen and nutrients). The sports performance is therefore slightly less than when you train during cooler weather.

Sweating

Sweat that evaporates cools the skin and the blood in the blood vessels. However, when the humidity is high, evaporation is more difficult, if at all. Result:problems in the thermal balance of your body.

Tips for safe sports in tropical temperatures:

• Wear thin, airy clothing (preferably in a light color);
• Wear sunglasses, a cap and apply sunscreen with a high protection factor;
• Do not walk on hot asphalt because it retains a lot of heat, but rather under the trees;
• Drink before you get thirsty, your body already needs it for that;
• Drink enough before, during and after exercise. Drinking more than a liter per hour makes no sense because the body cannot process it;
• Remember that when exercising in warm weather, your heart rate is between 5 and 15 beats per minute higher than normal.