🌞The weather has changed, so your training might too 🌞

🌞 "Feeling hot! Hot! Hot!" 🌞

Given we are in the middle of a heatwave, it’s a good time to throw out some reminders about working out in warmer weather, especially when it's far warmer than we are used to - this is especially important if you are working out at home, rather than a gym, which probably has some lovely air-conditioning.

IT DOES NOT MATTER IF YOU CHANGE YOUR TRAINING SCHEDULE THIS WEEK. Exhale.

I preach about the importance of moving away from the idea that every workout should look the same regardless of what else is going on. Long-term progress comes from consistency, but consistency doesn't mean approaching every week in exactly the same way. We focus on the long haul, what that looks like over the course of years! It means adapting and making good decisions with the information you have in front of you - and this week that’s adapting to the heat.

When temperatures rise, your body has a lot more work to do. Your heart rate can be higher, you can feel more breathless, recovery can take longer and exercises that normally feel manageable can feel much more challenging.

This is one of the reasons I encourage you to think beyond each individual workout. Sleep, stress levels, mood, nutrition, hydration and the weather can all influence how your body responds to exercise on any given day….aaaaand all of those things also be heavily affected by the weather!!

Your programmes don't need to be followed perfectly to be effective. Some of you may find you need to scale back - reduce your weights, take longer rests between sets, train earlier in the morning, do half a session, choose one of the shorter sessions, do the session body weight or swap a workout for a walk or restorative session - or maybe it makes sense not to do it at all. Make decisions aligned with what your body is telling you.

If you do have flexibility around when you train, mornings are often the most comfortable option during a heatwave, simply because temperatures tend to be lower. That said, I know many of you are fitting your workouts around work, perhaps childcare and family life, so don't feel that you need to be setting an alarm for 5am in the name of “optimal” training. We can pick up again, when we can.  Early evening can work well too, but it's worth remembering that the hottest part of the day is often later than we might expect.

Hydration is worth paying particular attention to. Most of us are fairly good at remembering to drink during exercise, but in hotter weather it helps to think about hydration throughout the day as well. If you've been sweating heavily, replace fluids appropriately. If you are thirsty now, go and have a drink.

For those of you navigating perimenopause, you may notice that warmer weather affects you differently than it once did! Joy! Hormone levels can influence temperature regulation, which means some of you will become uncomfortable more quickly, feel more fatigued during exercise or take longer to recover afterwards. If that's your experience, lean into that adaptability I’m talking about.  

From a pelvic health perspective, staying hydrated matters too. It's a common misconception that drinking less will help with bladder symptoms especially if you suffer with urgency (not being able to hold your wee, once you realise you need to go and stress incontinence, which is the involuntary leaking of wee when you do something impactful like, run or cause pressure to increase in your body when sneezing and coughing). Concentrated wee can actually irritate the bladder lining, which may increase feelings of urgency, frequency and discomfort. If you've ever noticed that your urine is darker in colour and your bladder feels more sensitive, dehydration may be playing a part.

Some of the things that come with hot weather can influence symptoms or make them feel worse. As I said, dehydration can make the bladder more irritable, but constipation can become more common if fluid intake drops, and constipation is something we know can make prolapse symptoms feel worse. Many women also find they feel more fatigued in hot weather, and just like any other muscle in the body, the pelvic floor can be affected by overall fatigue.

If you notice that urgency, leakage or prolapse symptoms feel a little more noticeable during particularly hot spells, it is likely a reflection of hydration levels, bowel habits, fatigue, activity levels and the additional demands that the heat places on the body. But if you are concerned, as always please seek help from your health practitioner.

When it comes to warmer weather - it’s really, my same old rule, and it works…take what you can, with the energy you have, in the capacity you are able.

Chilled wishes,

Emma xx

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I am not a medical professional, this does not constitute medical advice and please always seek advice from your GP or healthcare professional for all matters discussed in this article, or otherwise.