The following post was written by Olympic athlete and mom Kerri Walsh, two-time gold medalist in pairs beach volleyball. Los Angeles has been been experiencing an early Autumn heat wave prompting Kerri to share her tips for working out in the heat.
Hydration through out the day is huge! Hydrating just during your workout is not enough. I've been using the G series from Gatorade. They have a pre-workout drink, during workout drink, and post-workout recovery drink. The motto is "prepare, perform, and recover." This is a great mantra to keep in mind, especially when the elements are so grueling on your body. If you are not prepared, you cannot work out intensely. If you do not perform, you cannot get results, and if you can't do your best to recover, you won't get the benefits of your hard work.
When it is so hot I will also curtail my warm up, because your body warms up faster. I can put that extra energy into my workout and be more effective with my time that way. Generally I will limit my work out time if the heat starts to get to me and work hard for 30 minutes instead of an hour. Sometimes I will also just adjust my intensity, but still work out as long.
It is also important to keep in mind what you are wearing. You want your body to be able to breathe and you do not want to be bogged down with sweat. I also wear a visor sometimes, because it helps keep the sweat out of my eyes.
Kerri Walsh
Kerri Walsh
Kerri Walsh
Kerri Walsh
Kerri Walsh
