Top tips for making this an active and enjoyable summer
The sun is out. The heat is up, and the air-con is pumping. Summer has come! While we take a break and holiday from our work, school, university and the normality of life, the one thing that doesn’t take a holiday is our health! And that means you need to plan to be active in the right ways to get the best results this summer.
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At POGO we love working with people who sweat at least 5 times per week, and while the sweat may drip from the heat, our hope is that all of our clients have the most active and enjoyed summer they’ve ever had! See below for my top exercising tips this summer for the ultimate combo of fun, safety and sweat!
Top tips and ideas for making this your most active summer yet:
- Exercise early – the hottest part of the day is never the best time to exercise. The UV is the highest and the temperature is at its highest, which means you’re more likely to lose fluids faster, tire quicker and get burnt easier. I recommend getting your exercise in early, between 5 and 8am when the sun is still low in the sky and the temperatures lower. (4pm for the extreme early bird!) Alternatively the end of the day between 6 and 8 can also be a cooler time to exercise, just be wary of cars and traffic if exercising in the dark!
- Keep hydrated – the summer heat means general means more sweating, which means we lose a greater volume of water during summer exercise. According to the American Heart Association (2014), staying hydrated helps the heart pump blood more easily to working muscles and also improves muscle efficiency. They recommend not waiting until you feel thirsty before you rehydrate because if you’re thirsty already, then you’re already dehydrated. Make sure you hydrate well before, during and after exercise to help prevent dehydration and help you perform at your best this summer.
- Exercise with friends – the summer is best spent with friends and exercise best done with a friend to push through the sweat and heat barrier with. Organise in advance with a friend or 2 to go for an early walk, run, swim, surf or gym session.
- Set some summer exercise goals – goals help us keep on track and help us stay disciplined in helping us to achieve what we want to achieve. Use the S.M.A.R.T principle – specific; measurable; achievable; realistic; and timed to set good goals for your summer health. Whether is getting stronger, weight loss, toning, maintaining fitness or just to enjoy the weather and season, your S.M.A.R.T goals will help you enjoy your summer exercise. Check out ‘Your Coach – SMART Goals’ for some further info on this one.
- Get wet daily – summer is hot! So take every opportunity to exercise in water. Some ideas include swimming, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, kite surfing, canoeing, surfing and snorkelling (don’t forget to always swim between the flags).
- Deal with those injuries, niggles, pains and health problems you’ve been putting off during the busy year. There’s nothing worse than not being able to do what you love to do because of pain and injury. So right at the start of this summer, decide to seek help and see your GP or physiotherapist to help get you pain free ASAP so you can enjoy the summer ahead! We are here to help make this your most active summer yet!
Make this your most active summer yet – get outdoors, get active and get wet!
Jacob Taylor (APAM)
Physiotherapist
References:
American Heart Association (2014). ‘Staying Hydrated – Staying Healthy.’ Retrieved 1/12/15 from http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/PhysicalActivity/FitnessBasics/Staying-Hydrated—Staying-Healthy_UCM_441180_Article.jsp#
Your Coach (2013). ‘Smart Goals.’ Retrieved 1/12/15 from http://www.yourcoach.be/en/coaching-tools/smart-goal-setting.php
If you are ready to say ‘goodbye’ to the frustration of injury and ‘hello’ to your physical best performance-click HERE to schedule your Discover Recover Session.
