Exercising during hot weather and heatwaves.

[BurntBroccoli]

I usually do a daily brisk walk of around an hour but finding it really difficult in this hot weather. Then when it cools down, it’s too dark to walk alone.

Is a tread mill/gym the only answer?

I go early morning, nice and light but not too hot yet.

I go early doors. It's light but also there doesn't tend to be any weirdos about.

An air conditioned gym is wonderful in this weather :-)

I get up at 6 and run.

Early mornings and late evenings are your friend.

I go for a 3 mile walk around 7.30am, or around 8.00pm.

I would normally but it was still 25C and 65% humidity which I find difficult.

Yes - I’m thinking that!

It’s not 25 degrees at 8am. Your best bet will be a gym when it’s hotter in the afternoon and evening.

Exactly this. Where on earth do you live that is 25C at 8am @BurntBroccoli ? Death Valley?

No wonder your broccoli is burnt!

To be fair, during the massive heatwave towards the end of July, I was walking my DDs to school at 8:30 in temps around 25. But not anymore.

But I run at 6am-ish when it’s much cooler now.

To be fair, during the massive heatwave towards the end of July, I was walking my DDs to school at 8:30 in temps around 25. But not anymore.

But I run at 6am-ish when it’s much cooler now.

My gym and Pilates studio are air conditioned and I swim in a lake which is actually a bit warm at the moment but cooling down!
As for walking, I walk every day all year round, mostly in the dark - in the winter I’d never get a walk in if I refused to go out when it was dark because my work hours sap all the daylight hours!

I can’t do it when the temp is this high. A few missed days won’t do any harm. Tomorrow might be cool enough though.

Always used to do gym-aircon means you can exercise well

I’ve been getting up at 5/6am to run. Light and peaceful!

surely there's at least an hour before sunset at 9ish when it's not too hot? and even once the sun's gone down there's usually at least 20 minutes before it's actually dark.

Or, as pp have suggested, get up earlier and go then. Or try different forms of exercise - I've been swimming a lot more and also ice skating when it's been really hot!

do you live somewhere particularly dangerous? I go walking when it's dark all the time and have never had any issues.

I meant at 8pm.

I start work early in the mornings hence don’t do the walk then.

Yes same. Think it’s the humidity more than anything.

Where do you walk? Is it rural?

Early is better than late, it's still been 30 degrees here at 8pm some evenings.

I've resorted to swimming, and my gym studio classes are so cold I need to remember a sweater!

I can't be worrying about waking or running alone after dark. Aparently walking with your head up and looking confidence reduces the risk of an attack, beyond that I'll take my chances. I'm not having male behaviour restrict my life.

If it's away from the road and I need light to see my way I wear a chest torch.

I do strength training in the gym (airco) instead.
still end up a sweaty mess

I ran at 8pm yesterday, apparently it was 24° but there was a breeze so it felt fine.
I often run in the dark - id never go in winter otherwise, but I appreciate it is very dependent on where you live, pavements etc so not everyone can.

A tip for hot weather - if you have a buff, soak it in cold water and wring out and wear as a headband/hairband (if you can cope with that look!! ) it feels much cooler

What is it exactly that makes difficult for you to exercise when it is hot? Is it that you feel you simply don't have the energy? Or that you feel very faint? If it is just that you don't like getting hot and sweaty, then that is a psychological discomfort that you can overcome. I coach girls in my sport (cycling) and find a lot of girls and women have been conditioned from an early age to avoid getting hot, sweaty, out of breath, and red-faced.

The only answer is an air conditioned gym or fitness studio. I’m a group exercise instructor and it’s near impossible to teach and motivate people in any space that doesn’t have it.