Well it's definitely summer time! I am enjoying the rays immensely and it's making my fitness workouts a lot more enjoyable. The positives for working out in the sun are:
- You can be sociable. You can meet up with friends and enjoy workouts together.
- It's more picturesque & you can do your workouts in different locations so as not to be bored with your local gym.
- You can get a tan, but please ALWAYS wear sun block.
- Vitamin D from the sun makes you feel happier and lift your spirits.
- You can workout at the sight where you're holding your picnic get together, and burn the calories off you're about to eat ;)
The negatives are:
- Suffering from skin damage. It is important to protect your skin and always wear sun tan lotion.
- Heat stroke can be very dangerous. Stay hydrated by carrying water & take a sip every 15 mins even if your not thirsty.
When you exercise in the sun, don't confuse the sweat pouring off you with fat melting. It's only water. Stepping on a scale straight away after your workout will show an initial weight loss, however, the minute you rehydrate, you will replace the water weight.
Working out on a sunny day will burn just as many calories as working out in a gym. This is the same for hot yoga classes. Hot yoga and Bikram offer the advantage of suppleness and flexibility due to the hot environment, but don't be fooled it's a way of burning MORE calories than in an air conditioned environment.
What is the difference between Hot Yoga and Bikram Yoga? Generally, a hot yoga class is not as warm and intense as a Bikram class where you sweat from the moment you walk into the room.
Bikram Yoga tends to be more intense where you would start with meditaion and breathing and then generally workout through the class slowly with no surprises going from one stretch/pose to another.
Hot yoga can feel more lenient & relaxed where everyone can interact more. The heat may also not be as hot as a Bikram class.
This week during the British heat wave, I have been working at The Shaw Theatre with my Italia Conti Arts Centre students.
Whilst working on their end of year show, one of my main concerns was over heating. Although at times some felt faint, we managed to push through whilst regularly drinking water and hydrating ourselves.
But, the positive was that they all felt warm, flexible and raring to go. As I said, working in the heat can work to your advantage. I was more than proud of their show. Congratulations Conti kids!
A tip for working out in the heat would be to wet a bandana or scarf & put it in the freezer for a few hours.
Then you can tie in around your neck & enjoy your workout with cold refreshing water running and splashing down you as it melts!
Tagged in Hayley Newton