Summer Workout Safety Tips

The summer months brings us many opportunities to get outside and do different types of workouts to really shake up the tedium of simply running on a treadmill. It’s a great time to reach your health goals and have fun at the same time. Although the sun may be calling to you, there are some specific safety tips for working out during the summer that you need to remember.

Summer Workout Safety Tips:

Hydrate Like Your Life Depends Upon It

Because, frankly, your life does depend on good hydration while you’re working out this summer. It’s always important to drink plenty of water when working out regularly, but the addition of the sun and heat will take it out of you even quicker. You can also include some drinks that have electrolytes in them, but WebMD states that it depends on how intense your workout is as to whether or not this is the best choice. If you don’t keep yourself hydrated well enough, you can begin to suffer from a host of ailments, including muscle cramps, heat stroke and putting yourself in a position to suffer a severe injury as a result.

Avoid Working Out When Sun is Hottest

There is a window of time during the summer days that you need to avoid. The heat of the day, as it is referred to, should be avoided as your choice for your workout. This is when the sun is at its peak, and heat is more intense than other times of the day. Generally, it’s from noon to 3:00pm when the heat is the most intense. Schedule your workouts either first thing in the morning before the sun has the chance to get too high in the sky, or for later in the afternoon as the sun begins to wane.

Working Out with Sunscreen

With the summer sun comes sun burns, as we all know. A quality sunscreen is an absolute must to put on exposed areas before (and, perhaps during) your time working outside. Find one that is sweat-proof and waterproof so that you can trust that it will stay on during your workout, and you won’t have to reapply it as often as you would a sunscreen that doesn’t have that benefit.

Remaining safe during your workouts in the summer is critical so that you don’t create a situation where your healthy is adversely affected. Heat stroke is a real threat, and the Mayo Clinic has an extensive list of warning signs to look for if you suspect that you or a workout partner may be suffering from a heat related sickness.

Choosing to workout during the summer months outside opens up many fun and productive options as you get and keep your body in great shape. Stay mindful of these tips and knowing when you may be pushing it too hard in too much sun and heat so that all your hard work isn’t derailed with a setback. Work hard, but always work smart.