COMMENTS

Posted by: jane | 04-Feb-2009 04:37 PM |

I don't think we need an absolute ban on exercise in hot weather, but we (the fitness industry) must show leadership to our participants/clients, namely that health and safety are always foremost in our minds. We need to demonstrate, particularly to more obsessive participants, that it is okay to change or have a break from our usual exercise programs in times of illness, heat, etc. If we encourage them to exercise at normal intensity and duration despite the extreme heat (for instance, by running our classes/sessions without any modification), we are not providing this leadership. During very hot weather, I shorten my classes, take more drinks breaks, and lower the intensity. My only wish is that my gym were more proactive in guiding staff as to what to do in cases of extreme heat, rather than leaving it to the judgment of individual staff.

Posted by: Zonneveld Australia | 05-Feb-2009 10:13 AM |

I agree with Jane, I am actually just on my way out to do an outdoor session, however i know where i am going and that there are lots of massive tree's to work under with my client. I will also take extra water for my client to ensure they have plenty of fluids, plus fly spray and sunscreen to cover all issues with hot weather. With training on days like today my sessions would be more at a much lower intensity, avoiding cardio and focusing more on strength, core and flexibility training with regular breaks for stretches and fluids. Just like the wet weather the hot weather has its limitations but there is always a safe way to ensure your client have a good healthy & fun workout. However if it was anything over 35degree's i would probably take the session into air conditioned facility or try to do an extra session with that client at another time when the weather is more suitable. LIVE LONG - LIVE STRONG

Posted by: Anonymous | 05-Feb-2009 10:51 AM |

We need to regulate safe and unsafe temperatures especially in gyms that do not have air conditioning. Sometimes the heat inside is more intense than outside when you have a numbers of people sweating it out. All Indoor Cycle/RPM rooms should be air conditioned especially if it is a small space which most are. If temps get above 35-40 degrees I think classes inside without aircon should be cancelled its a big risk to push clients limits in that sort of heat.

Posted by: Anonymous | 05-Feb-2009 11:15 AM |

I have just started outdoor fitness classes for women. I have a new session starting this weekend at 7.30am on a day when it is forecast to be 42 degrees. I have had my doubts as to whether this is should go ahead - now I am really not sure and having some sort of regulation would certainly help. There is minimum shade at the park and my clients are unfit with most having not exercised in the last 12 months due to having children. Any thoughts on whether this should be postponed or if I should just do a low intensity class?

Posted by: Anonymous | 05-Feb-2009 12:44 PM |

People are going to hate this reply but here goes! All of the above comments are totally correct…to a point. I agree that for the majority of “group exercise” participants a trainer should modify a class to suit the conditions, this is just common sense. However, I do not agree that this should be the norm. Unfortunately it is so easy to become a personal trainer that we as a fitness industry have a lot of totally inept trainers. To say that you need to be careful in extreme heat is obvious but to say that sessions should avoid cardio is very misguided. I would suggest that anyone that would suggest basing a session in extreme heat around strength training instead of cardio has never completed their strength training intensely enough. The guiding factor when training in any condition, hot or cold, should be heart rate and RPE. (With obvious exceptions) Taking an athlete that is expected to play their sport in open air in 40 plus degree heat into an air conditioned room to train is plain idiotic and for anyone to suggest such a thing would suggest that you don’t train a great deal of athletes, at least not successful ones! My aim here is not to criticise anyone above but it does highlight how ridiculously easy it is to become a personal trainer. Anyone that has the money can do a course and get qualified and all they have to do to stay qualified is to attend a conference and hide in the back of the room and receive their CEC’s. These people will never get found out if they only train sedentary individuals and act as a lap dog standing next to their clients as they walk on a treadmill. Personality and interaction is massively important to becoming a successful trainer but don’t let your knowledge slip, providing you had it in the first place!

Posted by: Anonymous | 05-Feb-2009 01:50 PM |

In response to Anonymous query about starting your outdoor training session: Great question, and great to hear that you’re asking for advice when you’re unsure. While it should definitely be a case of “better safe than sorry” you might want to consider that the forecast 42 degrees certainly wouldn’t occur until around mid-day, but will 7.30am still be too hot to train? Can you get a projection of the expected temperature for the time you plan to train? A high of 40’s might have a lower end of 20’s which would still be accepted training conditions. One of the reasons that we can’t have one specific regulation is that, like most aspects of fitness, one size definitely doesn’t suit all. A highly conditioned athlete would most likely be acclimatised to the higher temperatures- much more than, say, a client who hasn’t exercised much in the past 12 months. Rather than cancelling the class, you could consider changing the location to include more shade or even move it indoors. If this is not possible and the conditions remain risky, I would suggest that you seriously consider re-scheduling it. It’s simply not worth the threat to your clients and your business. For further information, you might want to read http://www.sma.org.au/information/preventing_heat_illness_in_sport_policy.asp Thanks for your comments!

Posted by: vic country | 05-Feb-2009 03:49 PM |

Good afternoon, (even if it is 41 degrees and I'm about to take aqua outside (crazy I know) I believe that you don't have to avoid training, cardio or strength, on a hot day just lessen the intensity. I take boxing classes outside in 38-40 degree heat (under shade/hasn't been below 38 degrees for at least 3 weeks) It is more pleasant than in our evap air conditioned gym because it is harder to breathe inside. I participate in the class to gauge the intensity. We have coped at this temperature for the last three weeks without any problem at all (less intensity obviously). I watch my participants carefully and a good trainer should be able to tell if anyone is not coping. Hats, sunscreen, frequeunt drink breaks etc etc are common sense. PS. anonymous. If you start an email, people are going to hate this reply, wait and re-read your email before pressing the submit button, but I guess that's why your anonymous. You can't write "My aim is not to critisise" and then rant about how unqualified, inept, idiotic, unsuccessful, unknowledgable and ridiculous the trainers are. I believe you took their emails out of context. I think we are talking about general classes not elite athletes although yours is a valid point, albeit they are also vunerable to heat stroke. I totally agree that personality and interaction skills are extremely important to be a good trainer. This of course extends to professionalism which would include not making generalised comments about colleagues whose qualifications and expertise are unknown. PS I have no idea who the above blogs have come from

Posted by: C-Change Training Studio | 05-Feb-2009 04:21 PM |

I believe that it is to hard to monitor what you clients do during the day prior to attending the gym, they could have been sitting outdoors for the whole day making them extremely dehydrated. Although there are no regulations in regard to this articles state that on days of extreme heat you should drink a small amount of fluid every ten minutes prior to and during exercise. I believe there is a duty of care and it is not safe for someone to do for example a cycle class for an hour on day of 40 +. We are in a position as a small studio to closely monitor our clients but I think that there is not many times that the temperature exceeds 40 and the safest conclusion would be to not risk it. I have added a note to our studio procedures that states what we do on these hot days. I am all for regulations and research into this matter.

Posted by: Mimi | 05-Feb-2009 08:12 PM |

I have been teaching my outdoor classes / clients/ outdoor aqua in this extreme heat over the last 3 weeks and yes it's challenging for us as fitness leaders and for the clients. I gues it all comes down to the individual - ask questions such as adequate fluid intake prior to exercise & offer them an out. I think some clients are afraid to cancel with short notice - which may result in financial loss over their own health. I would prefer to lose income than risk a person's health. I suffered heat stroke during a race in Canberra a few years ago, pushing myself to cross that finish line regardless & I tell you it was quick & scary.. I had to have a drip & a night in hospital to rehydrate. You do not want to be in that position! We just need to be sensible.

Posted by: Jane | 08-Feb-2009 10:31 PM |

To not-attributed who said: "The guiding factor when training in any condition, hot or cold, should be heart rate and RPE. (With obvious exceptions) Taking an athlete that is expected to play their sport in open air in 40 plus degree heat into an air conditioned room to train is plain idiotic and for anyone to suggest such a thing would suggest that you don’t train a great deal of athletes, at least not successful ones!" Just for your information, I don't undertake sport-specific training, I teach group fitness classes at the Y. I therefore operate under the assumption that people are NOT acclimatised to training in the heat, are NOT wearing heart rate monitors (and even if they were, I would not be in a position to individually assess their intensity), and most certainly DO NOT need to continue their ordinary exercise regime under such extreme conditions. I should also note that while RPE is a useful tool for measuring intensity (and one I use in my classes a lot), ultimately, it is my responsibility to teach a class that is safe, not to rely totally on my participants' ability to self-select an appropriate intensity.

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