rRecently, an editor at Well+Good received a good tip from a celebrity trainer that exercising in a cooler temperature (specifically, an air-conditioned room) can help improve performance. your workout by preventing you from overheating. The idea is that this helps you keep performing at optimal levels for longer.
However, if this is true, then why are there so many fitness brands today that offer hot classes for everything from Pilates (Selena Gomez’s favorite exercise) to yoga to HIIT? What is really the best temperature to work in?
According to Brittany Masteller, PhD, research scientist at Orangetheory Fitness, the answer is surprisingly close to the ideal range for a good night’s sleep. “It is safest to do high-intensity exercises in a temperature-controlled space around 68 to 72 degrees Farenheit,” says Dr. Masteller. (According to experts, around 68°F is the right temperature for a cook’s sleep.) This is especially true for certain populations such as pregnant women and people with respiratory conditions. like asthma, she said.
Of course, however, there are exceptions to every rule, including this one.
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How does temperature affect your exercise performance?
Exercise is, in essence, a stressor for the body, and different exercises are designed to stress your body in different ways in order to get it to adapt. For example, when you lift heavy weights, you are using your fast-twitch muscle fibers, which in turn make them stronger. Or, when you do vigorous aerobic exercise, such as sprinting or HIIT, you’re putting your heart, lungs, and circulatory system (aka cardiovascular and respiratory systems) to work. more, increasing your maximum oxygen uptake or Vo2 max. Both of these are beneficial for your overall health.
Likewise, adjusting your workout temperature above or below 68 to 72 degrees Farenheit can cause your body to adapt in positive ways, as long as you’re well-hydrated, energized, and well-fitted. healthy to do so according to your doctor. The main benefit of both hot and cold exercises is that they increase the cardiovascular factor of the exercise you are doing because they force your brain and heart to work harder to keep your body in balance. lip. “The human body has ways of doing this, such as sweating when hot or shivering when cold,” says Dr.
She continues: “Volume low-impact fitness classes don’t tend to raise heart rate as much due to the nature of the exercise,” so increasing the heat for low-intensity exercise adds an extra level. difficult without changing prescription exercise.” This addresses a heart-healthy element to an exercise that would otherwise not be considered aerobic.
FYI: It takes the average person 10 to 14 days to acclimate to exercising in hot and humid conditions. But once you do, it comes with a few perks: “In people who like to exercise in hot and humid conditions, research shows that heat transfer from the center of the body to the environment is improved. , improves cardiovascular function, sweats more efficiently and improves exercise performance and heat tolerance,” says Dr.
On the other hand, just like when it’s hot, exercising in the cold makes your heart work harder to pump blood, which increases your heart rate and can lead to improved cardiovascular and respiratory health. time—even if you only exercise when it’s hot (cool). ?) girl walking in winter. Just make sure to dress appropriately to stay warm without overheating, says Dr. Masteller, as hypothermia is no fun.
