Prescriptions: Keeping Your Cool Under Fire
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Outside magazine, August 1996
Prescriptions: Keeping Your Cool Under Fire Exercising in scorching heat isn’t just uncomfortable–it can be downright dangerous. When the air is warmer than your skin–around 95 degrees–your body’s climate control mechanisms go postal. Convection and radiation, your otherwise stalwart protectants against Timing is everything. Early mornings, as close to sunrise as possible, are cooler than late evenings and keep convection on your side. Avoid midday–especially 1 to 3 p.m., when temperatures and skin-damaging UV rays are most dangerous. Hydration, hydration, hydration. After convection and radiation have turned on you, evaporation of sweat remains the primary line of defense against heat. But you have to be hydrated; Armstrong recommends filling up on water, starting four hours beforehand to avoid cramps, and drinking eight ounces of fluid every 20 minutes during your workout. Proper attire required. Choosing loose, light-colored, lightweight clothing keeps convection working in your favor. Long sleeves can keep you cooler by blocking the sun, assuming you opt for moisture-wicking synthetic garments, which aid evaporation (cotton, even though it gets soggy, won’t let sweat evaporate). If you wear short sleeves, don’t Enough is enough. Even with these precautions, there’s little defense for a 95-plus-degree day when humidity is above 75 percent, since the air is so laden with vapor that evaporation grinds to a halt. Such are the times when it’s OK to hit the air conditioned gym. |