Get summer fit

If there is one fitness maxim, sports performance specialist Deckline Leitao views suspiciously, it is, “Train hard or go home.” This holds especially true for summer. Leitao firmly advocates training according to the season. “During summer, cut down on the intensity of your workout. At least by 50 per cent if not more,” he says. That’s because, in summer your body already starts out at a lower point. “You sweat in your sleep, the weather leads to dehydration and muscle fatigue,” he mentions. So, as the mercury climbs higher, rethink your summer workout. Working out at the same intensity means muscle cramps, muscle fatigue and dehydration.

Drink like a fish
Summer is all about sweating, with or without working out. And when you sweat, you lose valuable electrolytes. “Switch to fortified water for summer,” advises nutritionist and wellness expert Mehar Rajput. Good ol’ H2O just won’t cut it. Her suggestions: coconut water, lemon juice, cold soups and even glucose water, especially post workout. Leitao advises on keeping a strict check on your water intake. For this, he has a simple hack – drink out of 500ml bottles. He likes to stock up on 5 litres of 500 ml water and makes sure he finishes that during the day. “A glass is not a good measure of water intake,” he mentions. Despite what new research says, he suggests not using thirst as an indicator for drinking water.

Hot yoga
Mumbai-based yoga expert Mandeep Kaur likes to turn the heat up further during summer. This exponent of hot yoga continues her workout during the hot season, too. Kaur firmly believes, “Heat kills heat. If you build heat internally it will equip you to handle the outside heat.” Her summer workout advice is more Pranayama (deep breathing) and less asanas. “Pranayama practice is excellent for fighting summer pollution. I especially advice people to do shitali pranayama (which I call the body’s personal AC) during the hot months,” she says.
Leitao says the most important thing is to listen to your body and not your mind. “One of the biggest mistakes people make is to follow the mind-over-matter philosophy while exercising, leading to body cramping or over-exhaustion. This is mainly true for group exercises,” he says. If the body is saying stop, then it’s time to stop. “A workout is for you to feel better about yourself,” he adds.