As soon as you step outside in July, the Georgia heat surrounds you and makes you want to walk back inside. In both our locations, the spaces are not air-conditioned but the industrial fans move lots of air. Instead of thinking of the heat as a roadblock, what if you looked at heat training as an opportunity to take your fitness and mental toughness to a new level?
In my recent goal review with Lacey, we talked about how she is from Michigan and not used to the Georgia heat. And after being in Augusta for almost a year, she now sees how heat training makes you stronger both physically and mentally. If we look at it like Lacey, we can begin to see the benefits of training in the heat and prepare ourselves for it.
The benefits of heat training
- Accelerated Adaptation and Work Capacity – When you’re in the groove, increased plasma volume helps you burn more calories for the same work. Your body adapts faster during heat training, enabling key measures like VO2 max to improve.
- Mental Toughness – Surviving harsh conditions builds mental toughness. Stacking win after win builds the confidence and fortitude that helps you through life’s challenges.
- Community Bonds – Enduring difficult things converts survival into fun. Being together with classmates helps motivate you and carry you through difficult sessions. Lacey talks about how the connections are stronger when we accomplish things together.
The guide to safe heat training
- Build Slowly – This is the most important step. If you’re just starting out and it’s already July or August, then you’ll need to adapt your workouts appropriately. Your coaches can help you figure out what is best for you each day as you build your ability to thrive in the heat.
- Intentional Hydration – Stay hydrated throughout the day, not just during your workouts. The rule of thumb for heat training is to check your urine in the morning. If it’s darker than pale lemonade, increase your water intake and add electrolytes. Here’s a great guide for hydrating effectively for hot environments.
- Smart Pacing – Start off slower than you think you need to go at first. Until you’ve acclimated, the heat can sneak up on you. If in doubt, go slower today and you can always push harder tomorrow.
- Fans, Fans, Fans – Airflow is important and Fit Augusta provides lots of it with our industrial fans. If you’re well hydrated, acclimated to the hot temperatures for at least 2-3 weeks, and you have good airflow around you, you should be able to handle heat training like a champ.
- Train Regularly – Shoot for at least 3 days per week to develop the adaptations for heat training. You may have a bad week, but keep it consistent so that you can become a master.
- Recovery Focus – Recovery is often overlooked even when we’re not talking about heat training, but it’s especially important in these cases. Get good sleep, eat plenty of protein with balanced meals, and take your rest days.
Looking to do some workouts at home in the Augusta summers? Here are a few at-home hacks to help:
- Time your sessions. Aim for morning or evening walks and exercise so that there is less radiant heat.
- Find shade and create airflow. Buy a cheap fan to keep close to you and keep you cool during bodyweight circuits.
- Self-monitor. If you drop more than 2% bodyweight during your workout, you should increase water and electrolyte until your weight stabilizes.
We’re here to coach you through every session because that’s our mission. That includes coaching you through heat training in Georgia summers, so that you can be fitter and mentally tougher than ever, just like Lacey.
Ready to channel Georgia’s heat into real-world strength? Book a completely free No-Sweat Intro today:
