Summer Workouts: Open Thread
When it's hot and muggy out, it can be difficult to stick to your regular workout routine, whether it's running outside, walking to/from work, or doing a studio class like barre. So let's hear your thoughts on summer workouts! Do you tend to exercise less during the summer? Do you move your workouts inside (perhaps with the help of a personal trainer?), or do you simply switch your summer workouts to mornings or evenings, when it's cooler? Maybe you're a hardcore runner who still goes for several runs a week and trains for the many 5Ks, 10Ks, and other races offered in the summertime — or maybe the closest you'll get to vigorous exercise this summer will be watching the Olympics next month. It's been a long time since we last talked about summer workouts for busy women, so let's chat about it today!
{related: gym near the office etiquette tips}
Before we hand it over to the readers, we'll share a few general tips for summer workouts from our last discussion:
Go swimming
It may go without saying, but: swim laps in the pool, go to the beach, or try some pool exercises like these from Shape. Just don't forget: If you're going to be swimming for an hour or more, it's still important to stay hydrated — yes, you can still sweat in the pool — so make sure to drink water. By the way, in case you missed it: Check out Kat's recent roundup of swimsuits!
Choose something low-key
In our last discussion on summer workouts, one reader shared that she takes her dog for evening walks in a shady park near her home. She commented that it's has been a win-win: She's getting regular exercise, her dog has become healthier and better socialized, and she's met a lot of her neighbors (and their dogs). For the nights you're not in the mood to meet neighbors, try one of our podcast recommendations. (But of course: be safe and aware of your surroundings, whether you're plugged in or not!)
Move your summer workouts indoors
As you may have noticed, Netflix no longer streams workout videos, but I just found out (as in, two minutes before writing this) that Amazon Prime still has 500+ exercise videos you can stream for free with your Prime membership, including yoga, pilates, kickboxing, strength training, and more. Not a Prime member? Try these recommendations from Shape, Lifehacker, and Buzzfeed for the best YouTube channels, and don't forget to check your local library's DVD collection.
Looking for great workout shorts? See reader favorites and more in our recent roundup of the best shorts for summer…
So, tell us: How do you change your workout routines when it's hot and humid? What are your favorite summer workouts? Do you stick to air-conditioned spots like your gym or your home, or do you still go outside for summer workouts despite the heat? Are you currently training for a summer or fall event like a 5K or marathon?
Pictured: Pixabay
I’m fortunate to live in a climate where the nights and mornings are cool even on the hottest days (Denver). I know this is not true everywhere, as I traveled to Omaha, Kansas City, and St. Louis in June and it was still near 90 degrees at 6 am and 10 pm, so I feel for you people in humid climates.
I’m a runner and I really only move my workouts indoors in the winter – when it’s too dark and cold in the morning and after I get home from work. My husband gets home earlier than I do so in the winter he walks the dogs and I work out in our basement gym. In the summer, I get out before work with the two dogs and run at 5 am. On weekends we go out around 6 am, but much later than that and it gets too hot for the pups. I can tolerate a bit more heat than they can, but it’s nice to get it over and done with.
I live in one of the above mentioned cities–too hot to run in the day, too dangerous at night, and after doing my first half-marathon this spring, I can’t go back to treadmills. So, I just stopped running.
New York is VERY hot it the summer and VERY cold in the winter. FOOEY! So the best seasons are Spring and F’all. We walk EVERYWHERE b/c peeople are very concius about our weight. Dad wants me to get a smaller tuchus so that I can find a guy to MARRY me, so I walk EVERWHERE. I encourage all of the HIVE to walk so we can loose weight and be MARRIED! YAY!!!
Training for a fall half marathon. Minimal swimming (just doesn’t work with my schedule yet), but a *lot* of evening (after dark) workouts. Per Runner’s World, I aim for a lot slower than normal.
Great post! I am an endurance athlete, so I continue to train outdoors even in the heat & humidity. I’d love to share some lessons I’ve learned over the years!
-Stay hydrated! Not just with water, but also with electrolytes. More important in heat and humidity than in other times of the year, as you’re typically sweating at a higher rate, which means you lose more sodium. Replace that sodium and keep your electrolytes in balance by drinking a sports drink of your choice. General rule of thumb is to move from pure water to a sports drink when you’re exercise lasts longer than 90 minutes. However, in extreme heat and humidity it can be prudent to use a sports drink earlier, maybe after 30 minutes or more of exercise. Check your local sporting goods store for hand-held water bottles, they are a game-changer!
-If you move your run/walk/ride to early or late hours to avoid competing with the sun – remember to SEE and BE SEEN! Wear reflective gear everywhere! If it’s dark, I like to carry a light with me as well, so I can easily signal my presence to oncoming vehicles, etc. I also generally operate under the assumption that drivers don’t see me. Just in case.
-If you are planning to run a 5k, 10k, bike ride or any other outdoor race – train in the conditions you’ll be racing it. If you move all of your training runs indoors on the treadmill, adjusting to the heat and humidity on race day will be that much harder. (You don’t have to do every run in blistering conditions! But you at least want to be familiar with how your body will respond in the conditions. You may need to take in more fluids, etc.)
-Listen to your body! When temperatures are high, pushing yourself is not always the best decision. You may have a hard run planned, but if the heat and humidity are very high and you’re feeling sluggish, it would be wise to convert your run to an easy pace and do your harder run at another time.
-Clothing choices are important! The type of material you are exercising in can make your experience better or worse. Depending on your activity, of course. In general (runners, walkers, cyclists, hikers, etc) you’ll want to make sure you’re wearing light-colored clothing designed to pull sweat away from your body (think “dry-fit” items). Light colored hats are great to keep the direct sun out of your face, and protect your head/hair from harmful UV rays. I personally prefer to run in a hat rather than wearing sunglasses, otherwise my glasses keep slipping off my face because I’m so sweaty! Some high-tech gear is labeled “cold gear” or “heat gear” – you want heat gar, the materials are designed to keep you as cool possible.
Of course, never forget the water proof / sweat proof sunblock!!
Yes to all of this! I live in Texas and continue running outdoors in the summer. It usually helps me to move my workouts to the morning or at least wait until the sun starts to go down in the evening. I run with a group on the weekends, we start at 6 but it is still hot and humid by the time we finish around 8 or 9. We just make sure to stay hydrated (start the day before!) and keep our pace slower than usual.
Honestly, heat training really helps your endurance. I used to take the summers off from running, but noticed a big improvement once I started sticking it out.
I’m suffering through my first Houston summer and am really missing my weekend runs. Does anyone have suggestions for shady (or shadier) routes in the loop? Thanks!
I just get up super early. The shadiest place to run if you don’t want to get up early is probably Terry Hershey, but that’s outside the loop. The other bayou trails (I’m most familiar with White Oak and Buffalo Bayou) are great but not nearly as tree-lined and well shaded.
Or if you don’t want to get up early, you can wait until 8:30 or 9 to start your run. It’s cooler at 5:30 AM though.
The bayou area along Waugh has some shaded parts. Otherwise, I would run through neighborhoods like along North and South Boulevard.
Parts of the Rice loop and the Hermann Park loop are fairly shaded, but your best bet is to run early in the morning. Memorial Park had some decent shade until the drought of 2011 killed 1/2 of the trees there.
Where did you move from? Just curious what type of weather you are used to.
New York. To put it into perspective I loved running when it was snowing.
I think you need to acclimate your body to the heat first. A two mile walk is going to feel like a five mile run to you at first. Practice just being outside for the amount of time you want to be able to run. My husband grew up in a very hot and humid country and I live in New England. Every time I go “home” with him I can barely go shopping outside for a half hour without feeling like I’m going to faint. By the end of a two week trip I’m going on long walks fairly comfortably but still not running outside yet. You will get there but you have to give your body time to adjust. It’s like learning to be a distance runner again.
The summer heat just motivates me more to do what I should do year-round: run in the morning. I’m far, far less likely to skip workouts if I get them out of the way in the AM, even if I feel like garbagey ooze stumbling out the door at 5 am. I also get a lot out of the biking (6.5 mi total) and walking (3 mi total) portions of my commute, and those just feel like part of my day, no extra effort needed.
I don’t know how I’m going to stop myself from getting fluffy when I have to change schedule/location in the fall and have an all-driving commute that kicks off at 5 AM.
Thoughts on benefits/watchouts of having a personal trainer? Has anyone done this as a temporary thing to “get started” and then just continued on your own?
I’m very lucky to have a gym in my building, so I always default to that, but I’m thinking of making my workouts more structured. There’s a trainer a few blocks away, but it’s 1) annoying to have to drag myself over there and 2) kind of expensive ($90 per session).
I had a trainer for about 6 weeks to get started – I was already running a bunch but I wanted someone to teach me how to use the weight room basically. She was great, and I looked great by the end of the 6 weeks, but I couldn’t continue it due to the cost. Although I’m no longer nervous about the weight room, I rarely use it because I’d rather go to a class or something. So bottom line, I think if you’d continue on with what you learned, it works, but if you need external motivation, it’s probably not worth it.
I worked with a personal trainer for about two years and it was by far the biggest reason that I was most consistent about exercising and engaged in the best variety of workouts. (I hate strength training and don’t really do it on my own.) No surprise, i was in the best shape of my life at that point. I enjoyed my trainers as people and as professionals who were kicking my tail. The accountability was huge for me. I would absolutely still be doing it today if my budget allowed – unfortunately I moved from a low-expense life in a LCOL area to the opposite and simply can’t justify the monthly expense. even the less expensive gyms in my area are the price you mention – $90/hr.
I loved working with my personal trainer and did so for years. I had to cut it out due to budget changes, and I just wasn’t as healthy/strong/fit as I was. I tried using Classpass for a while, but with the recent price hikes (and the fact that I was craving more steady workouts), I decided to join a regular gym. I know myself and I really like having someone tell me what to do in the gym, so I started following the Kayla Itsines BBG program, which sounds so silly and ridiculous, but the workouts are short and hard. It’s exactly what I want right now.
I agree – if you know you can take advantage and learn lot from a trainer for a few weeks and then maintain on your own, it’s a great way to jump start your activities. Make sure any trainer has legitimate certifications (ACE, NASM are good, and ACSM is top-notch). I’d also make sure they know in advance you aren’t looking for long term. Many PT jobs are 100% commission, so sales is definitely a part of the gig, giving them the heads up that you’re short term right away should cut down on the sales-pitch. And also, if they keep trying to sell you into more that’s a red flag to find a new one!
I LOVE my personal trainer. It’s definitely expensive, but I look at it as an investment in myself. My trainer offers discounts if you do small-group personal training and if you meet with her M-F between 9-5 (not feasible for everyone). It’s worth asking to see if any in your area offer similar discounts/programs.
I would definitely check it out at least for 6 weeks to get things kick-started. My trainer gives me homework and has expectations I work out at least 2 other days per week. It holds me accountable. She also provides nutritional advice which has made a huge impact on how I look and feel.
I love my personal trainer. It’s expensive but for me, it’s the only thing that’s ever gotten me into a reliable work out rhythm.
Yogi checking in with this. I tend to practice more during the summer (even in heat) I primarily enjoy outdoor classes and here in the hot and humid midwest we get them in early and late.
It’s nice as your muscles are already warm and practicing on the grass gives your balance more challenge. never mind the great views.
Negatives: bugs, humidity is not my friend, and those days without any breeze.
Lucky enough to live where I can do beach yoga once a week. Practicing on the sand, even in the heat, brings an entirely new element to a class. That said, last night was buggy, and gritty, and I was exhausted from the heat when we ended. The sunset made it worth it, but feeling gross was hard.
Just found out I am going on a work trip to Shanghai and thinking about taking a few personal days too. I am not familiar with the area, so seeking any tips on must-see sights and other general tips? I am also thinking about visiting Beijing on the same trip. Is it better to fly or take the train? If train, are there any stops worth seeing in between?
Take the train. Much more comfortable than flying and the people watching is not to be missed.
Street dumplings in Shanghai are unbeatable.
If you take the train, and decide to take the overnight one (there’s faster daylight ones now, I believe), pick the “soft” bed (no softer than the”hard” one, just a tad larger) and choose the upper bunk.
In Beijing, if you choose to go to the Great Wall, go to the Mutianyu section rather than Badaling- it’s less crowded but more scenic. There’s plenty of tour companies that can get you a guide for a reasonable price. You can try googling “The China Guide.” They’re pretty reasonable. I also think going up the hill in Jingshan park (right above the forbidden city) is a great view if the pollution isn’t too bad. Avoid the cab drivers in that area.
Beijing “must eats” are Jianbing, Peking duck, and hot pot. Also try seeking out some of the newer “trendy” restaurants set up in old hutongs. Check out the Beijinger.com for basically anything you want to know/need to look up. It’s basically THE reference for the expat community there.
Thank you!
*shrug* I run most days and play soccer twice a week. It’s hot but you acclimate.
Just want to plug my new favorite strength training routine:
https://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/comments/3bmwzf/introducing_bodyweight_fitness_rbodyweightfitness/
I’m a pretty active person (running, yoga, rock climbing) but have always been lazy and inconsistent about strength training, partly because it’s not something I know much about. This app has a very comprehensive routine with gifs and videos for each exercise and progressions for each exercise as you get stronger. Makes it much easier to be consistent with my strength workouts. All my thumbs up.
Looking for recommendations on things to do/places to eat/where to stay in Boston either Labor Day weekend or the weekend before. H and I have never been and it could coincide with a work trip. We love wineries, water activities but really being away from the kids will be a big attraction.
Harbor ferry- you can just ride around the harbor on a boat or actually get off and walk around the islands.
If you’ve never been, then walk around the common & garden, pick up some of the freedom trail and head into the north end for a meal (dinner or snacks….like Italian pastries at mikes or similar).
Explore the area around Harvard in Cambridge, lots of good places to eat and culture.
In gorgeous weather, get seafood at the barking crab and eat outside or if your taste and budget are fancier, on the 3rd floor of the Legal Harborside complex in the seaport. Great views, drinks, etc.
If the weather is hot or rainy, check out some museums- the ICA in the seaport, the MFA, the Gardner museum. In the summer though Boston is *great* to just walk around and explore. Wear comfy shoes that can handle cobblestone. Walking is faster than the subway or cab 99% of the time.
Window shop/get coffee and walk Newbury st.
Other placeS I always recommend- Beehive (great for Sunday jazz brunch, also great for dinner and the have outdoor seating if you want it), Toro (tapas, no reservations, small. prepare to wait). Both in the south end.
I haven’t lived in the city proper in a while so someone else can speak to the hippest places for nightlife….I used to recommend a Clink (in the liberty hotel, a converted jail) just for atmosphere but I have no idea if that’s still a good rec.
You might also want a duck boat tour – check groupon because they are horridly overpriced and kind of cheesy- but they do a great job with an overview of the city an history.
Oh, and not wine but the harpoon brewery is fun! As is the Sam Adams one but it’s harder to get to our in Jamaica Plain (JP). If you do venture to JP, walk the arboretum and get ice cream at JP licks or its ilk. center st cafe used to be awesome but haven’t been there in a decade :/.
Or if you happen to be near ANY of their locations, get ice cream at JP Licks. Get the Fresh Cucumber – it is awesome!!!!
JP Licks, Christina’s, Toscanini’s, Picco, one is completely spoilt for choice ice-cream-wise here :) The Harvard Museum of Natural History is also neat; so is the MFA; and history buffs might enjoy both the Freedom Trail and the Museum of African American History.
THANK YOU!
I guess the weather doesn’t change that much year-round in Southern California. I basically do the same things year round-run, swim, bike, and lift weights. I guess I will swim more in the summer to avoid being hot, but I don’t think the difference is much. I do move the workout inside when there are wildfires close by like last weekend to avoid breathing worse than usual air, but that is only a handful of days a year.
My first summer in Dallas, and I just tried the Sunday morning yoga in Klyde Warren Park- loved it!!! There’s plenty of space to practice in the shade, though there’s some very enthusiastic yogis that seem to love practicing in the hot sun. To each their own, I guess.
HI! I just moved to Dallas recently too and have thought about doing a class at KWP. Maybe I’ll see you there sometime!
I love taking after dinner walks in the summer with my fiance. We talk about our day, unwind, catch some Pokeman…the usual
Gotta catch ’em all.
I prefer Chardonnay Go!
http://www.today.com/parents/chardonnay-go-one-mom-s-brilliant-boozy-answer-pokemon-craze-t100844
+1
This summer I picked back up lifting, which is done in an air conditioned gym, so the only impact the heat has on my exercise regime is to motivate me to work out more to wear more revealing summer clothes!
But overall, not sure if I’m just getting old and soft or what, but I am not handling everyday heat well. A weekend in an un-air conditioned cabin had me as exhausted as a wrung-out washcloth.
Runners, what song motivates you to pick up the pace? I just heard a new song that I “shazamed” and it’s now my favorite….”Kiss This” by the Struts.
Christina A’s – Fighter
Cliche, but ” eye of the tiger”
Recommendations for upper arm exercises? The back of my arms are so wobbly!
If you have dumbells, do overhead tricep extensions.
If you don’t, bench dips are great.
Also, if you can do a true pushup, you can modify it to really work the backs of your arms. In the pushup position, put your hands together so they make a diamond, then, keeping your hands in place, bend into the pushup. You may find you can’t bend even halfway, because it works muscles very differently than a normal pushup.
I attend barre class (in an air conditioned studio) 3x/week, run 3x/week, and attend yoga (also in an air conditioned studio) 1x/week. In the summer, I run before work when the weather is at its coolest. In the winter, I run right after work when its still light outside and the weather is at its warmest. With the heat dome this past week, I’ve been walking. There are usually only 1-2 weeks each summer and winter where the weather is so hot or cold I have to modify my routine, I just listen to my body.