Training outdoors in summer heat: what it asks of your muscles

Running, cycling or a game of football in the evening sun. Summer makes it tempting to move outside, and that is exactly what a lot of people do once the temperature rises. Training in the heat, though, asks more of your body than you realise at the time.

Why heat puts extra strain on your muscles

In warm weather your body works harder just to regulate its temperature. Your heart rate is higher for the same effort, you lose fluid faster and your muscles tire sooner. That means a workout you would breeze through in winter can feel a lot heavier in summer, even at the same pace.

Many athletes adjust their training but not their recovery. Muscles that have had to work harder also need more time and attention to loosen up again.

Where cupping massage helps

A cupping massage is popular among athletes because it targets tight tissue and stimulates blood flow to the muscles. For anyone training outdoors regularly in summer, that is exactly what is needed. Muscles that have had to work overtime to cool down also deserve extra attention to recover.

The treatment can also be combined with a regular sports massage, depending on where the tension sits and what works best for you.

At Masseur Joost in Hoofddorp there is room to fit this around your training schedule, including evenings and weekends when daytime does not work.