The Surprising Benefits of Training in the Heat
Is heat better than altitude? The science seems to say so.
One of the highest sweat rates ever recorded was that of marathon runner Alberto Salazar at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.
In the months leading up to the games, which were expected to be oppressively hot, the marathoner was put through a regimen of temperature acclimation training with the goal of helping him adapt to running in the heat. While Salazar placed only 15th overall, the program was deemed a success, physiologically speaking—vitals taken after the race found that Salazar’s hormonal and thermoregulatory systems were completely normal. His body had compensated by causing him to sweat at an incredibly high rate—about three liters per hour, compared to the roughly one liter per hour for an average human.
Researchers have been looking at the effects of heat on athletic performance for decades, and their results have been consistently surprising.
Studies have found that, in addition to an increased rate of perspiration, training in the heat can increase an athlete’s blood plasma volume (which leads to better cardiovascular fitness), reduce overall core temperature, reduce blood lactate, increase skeletal muscle force, and, counterintuitively, make a person train better in cold temperatures. In fact, heat acclimation may actually be more beneficial than altitude training in eliciting positive physiological adaptations, says Santiago Lorenzo, a professor of physiology at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and a former decathlete at the University of Oregon.
“Heat acclimation provides more substantial environmental specific improvements in aerobic performance than altitude acclimation,” he says.
And in contrast to the live low, train high philosophy, we more quickly adapt to heat stress than we do to hypoxia. In other words, heat training not only does a better job at increasing V02 max than altitude, but it also makes athletes better at withstanding a wider range of temperatures.
When performed safely, however, heat training can have extraordinary effects.
This phenomena fascinates Chris Minson, a professor of human physiology at the University of Oregon, who studies heat acclimation responses in athletes. According to his research, heat training can expand blood plasma volume, but Minson says there also seem to be inexplicable changes to the heart’s left ventricle, which helps to increase oxygen delivery to the muscles. In addition, he says that athletes who train in warm temperatures generally get better at regulating heat by sweating earlier, as Salazar did, or developing a colder resting body temperature.
Where you can train in the heat?
Therefore, at Hot Yoga Romania, you can find our hot room designed with the best, advanced high-tech heating system. The heating is computer controlled to bring you the exact temperature between 35° C - 40° C & 40% - 50% humidity, depending on the style of the class.
All our yoga classes are combined with functional anatomy, mindful movement and understanding of the western science, providing strength & flexibility of the physical body and balancing the energetic systems of the body.
Our studio exclusively offers Bikram Yoga which has a remarkable reputation among athletes around the world, like:
Serena Williams, David Beckham, Kareem Abdul Jaabar , Floyd Mayweather, Braylon Edwards
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18.00| Bikram Yoga| 60 min
19.15| Hip Opener | 60 min