Korean Job Discussion Forums

[cdninkorea]

Summer is here, and the bright sunlight, heat, and humidity has had a significant effect on my training:
1) Field work. In June, when it was cooler, I could do ten laps around a soccer field (around 350m or so) at 63 seconds each with a 1 minute break between each rep. Now I can only do this three times before I start slowing down (toward the end I have trouble doing them in 90 seconds!)

2) Hill sprints. I do five reps with 3 minutes to sprint up and jog down. In June I could get to the top in 42-45 seconds for all five reps. Now I can only do it twice, followed by 50 seconds for three (this hill is in the shade, which helps considerably).

3) Weight training. My gym is in the basement at my university. Because it's free, administration doesn't air condition it. The first few exercises I do are still okay, but halfway through my workout performance drops a lot: longer breaks required, lack of focus on later sets, etc.

What should I do? My focus is on not losing my speed and strength and to wait out the heat (it should cool off by October). Should I focus on doing only a few sprints really fast? Should I focus on a few compound lifts in the gym with intensity and neglect lesser exercises?

[kiknkorea]

At risk of stating the obvious, I'll remind you to drink lots of water (or sports drinks) before, during, and after your workouts.
One thing a lot of people forget is to keep drinking even if you're not thirsty. If you get thirsty in this weather working out, you've waited too long.

Other than that, I think you're doing the right thing by taking longer breaks. You should definately do this during your sprints as well.

It's OK to push yourself, just respect the heat and don't overdo it. No regimen is worth having a heat stroke.
You may not feel as though you're maximizing your workouts if you don't match earlier times, but your body is working harder to get you through it. Don't pay so much attention to the stopwatch and focus on getting the work in.

In the fall, you'll see the results.

[cdninkorea]

I think you're right. I was in Thailand for the month of January and my workouts were terrible; after three exercises I was cooked. I thought I had lost all my strength and power, yet when I came back to Korea in February, I was faster and stronger than before.

[hogwonguy1979]

if you're doing stuff outside you need to either go out before say 9am (even earlier if you can) or after 7p. what i'm finding its not the heat thats killing me here its the humidity even at 7am the heat index has been around 26-28c which is tough on you

also hydrate, hydrate hydrate.

or you could wait about a month when it starts cooling off