Can you go running in the heat? Who should give up exercise when it’s over 30 degrees? And is a cold shower useful or counterproductive after exertion? Sports and health expert Prof. Ingo Froboese tells Utopia in an interview what you have to watch out for when doing sports on hot days – and why not doing sports is not a solution either.
After the long winter, the anticipation for summer is great. Finally you can train outdoors again – but should you do sports on hot summer days? Sports scientist Prof. Ingo Froboese has a clear recommendation in an interview.
The expert for prevention and rehabilitation in sports also gives tips on what you should consider before, during and after training.
Utopia: Summer is just around the corner. Do you have to train differently than usual on hot days?
Ingo Froboese: You should definitely think about the time. Ideally, you should move the sport into the morning hours, because the greatest heat usually occurs between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Afternoon exercise is therefore less favorable than morning exercise on hot days.
Utopia: But what if you’re not an early riser?
Froboese: You can also train in the evenings. However, you should finish the sport at least two hours before going to bed. If it’s really hot, you can alternatively think about indoor sports.
Utopia: Thinking of a gym?
Froboese: Yes, because in the gym you can climb on the treadmill or do muscle training.
Utopia: Nature lures many outside in the summer.
Froboese: Then bodies of water can help: If you have the opportunity, like we have here in Cologne with the Rhine, you should go running on rivers or on the banks of the lake. It’s cooler there than, for example, directly in the city.
Ingo Froboese: Beginners should be careful from 30 degrees
Utopia: At what temperature do I have to be careful when exercising?
Froboese: From 30 to 35 degrees I would be increasingly careful, especially as a beginner. It is also important to adjust the pace on hot days and to slow down a bit during endurance sports. The most important thing in the heat is to fill up the water tank before training.
Utopia: What does that mean in concrete terms?
Froboese: Water is the most important filler in our body. You should drink at least one large glass of water before exercising. If you know that you haven’t had much to drink that day, you can drink more than one glass.
Utopia: Is there a ceiling here?
Froboese: Too much is useless. The body does not process more than 0.8 liters of water per hour, it then excretes the water without absorbing the minerals it contains.
Utopia: Nevertheless, when you sweat more in summer, your body needs more water – doesn’t it?
Froboese: Definitely. You should drink heavily in the morning, for the first four to six hours of the day. This is how you compensate for the deficit caused by sweating at night. In summer you sweat out up to two liters a night.
Cotton better than functional clothing in hot weather
Utopia: Aside from fluids, what role does clothing play in summer sports?
Froboese: Clothing is important for cooling the body. The moisture that occurs when you sweat should remain on the skin. It helps cool body.
Utopia: Functional clothing does absorb sweat, however. Is it the wrong choice in the heat?
Froböse: Cotton can be better in summer. If you like, you should even try wet clothes.
Utopia: So you wet your t-shirt before jogging?
Froböse: A damp cotton shirt is pleasantly cool. Head protection is even more important. I like to run with a cap that I have previously soaked in water.
Utopia: Do you have any other clothing tips for sports in summer?
Froböse: Shoulders must be covered to protect skin from the sun. Men often do this completely wrong and run around bare-chested.
Utopia: Which sports do you advise against in the heat?
Froboese: We shouldn’t be afraid of the heat. During exercise in the heat, nothing else happens than in the sauna: we change our body temperature and push it up. Of course, we should think about the intensity.
Utopia: So no HIIT training [Anm. der Red.: HIIT bedeutet High-Intensity Intervall Training] in the sun?
Froboese: That would be wrong. HIIT and similar high-intensity workouts should be done in the morning or evening, and definitely in the shade.
Utopia: When is it too hot for sports?
Froboese: If I have physical complaints such as cardiovascular problems or am pregnant, sport above 30 degrees is an additional burden. Above 35 degrees, people with health problems and the untrained should not start any strenuous training. You should also be careful on humid days with high humidity.
Sport in the heat: From 40 degrees it’s over
Utopia: Conversely, does that mean that there is no sports ban for people who exercise regularly and are healthy?
Frobose: Absolutely not. If you behave sensibly, there is no reason not to exercise. You can also go jogging at 30 degrees. Extreme heat is an exception, but it only starts at 40 degrees.
Utopia: Speaking of yoga: are there sports that are better suited to heat?
Froboese: There are no no-go’s just because it’s hot. It always depends on the dose – you can dose any sport. If quieter sports like Pilates or yoga feel better in the shade, you can of course give preference to these on hot days.
Utopia: Which warning signs should I listen to from my body?
Froboese: The nice thing is that your body tells you when it’s too much. There is, for example, the white mouth-nose triangle. If the skin around the mouth and nose turns light, it means there is a risk of overheating or overexertion. If this warning sign appears, you should take a break. The best thing to do is find a partner for sports so that you can look out for one another.
Utopia: How do I react correctly if I have a headache or feel dizzy not during but after exercise?
Froboese: Headaches and dizziness are often an indication of a lack of water and minerals. It is best to drink water after exercising, mixing one liter of water with half a teaspoon of salt.
Utopia: Can I prevent the symptoms by warming up differently in summer than in winter?
Froboese: Warming up is just as important in summer as it is in winter: you start out calmly and slowly work your way up. When it’s cold outside, muscles may take longer to warm up.
No cold showers after training
Utopia: Do you recommend a refreshing ice-cold shower after a hard summer workout?
Froboese: A cold shower puts a lot of stress on the body. It is better to cool down the body slowly. You start with the calves and thighs, then shower off your arms and only then the rest of your body. Lukewarm water is better than ice cold, otherwise your body will heat up again and you’ll start sweating again.
Utopia: Should I give my body a few days off after a sweaty workout in the heat?
Froboese: If I’ve adapted the training to the heat, the body doesn’t need a longer regeneration break than usual. And you can also learn from the heat. The more I sweat, the better my body can adapt. Athletes sweat differently and better. They have more sweat glands and therefore sweat more effectively, i.e. more thinly. They sweat out more liquid, but less valuable minerals. Therefore, the sweat of trained people “stinks” much less.
Froboese: “Athletes sweat better”
Utopia: So you can tell how fit you are by the smell of your sweat?
Froboese: The sweat of well-trained athletes smells almost neutral. You can consciously expose yourself to heat and sweat.
Utopia: Do you have a recipe for success so as not to overstrain yourself when exercising?
Froboese: You can tell very well from your own breathing whether your body is overwhelmed, underwhelmed or just in the right dosage. My recommendation for beginners is: Inhale once for four steps and exhale once for four steps. That way you are always at the right pace. This works for walking, walking and running.
Utopia: That not only helps when getting started, but also for experienced runners.
Froboese: Definitely. Breathing should be our control, not speed. This applies to cold, warm and hot days.
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