Well acclamation is a valid point. You can see teams from areas that do not have that type of heat have many more struggles then lets say a team from the South. Keeping kids hydrated and in the shade I have seen much more success with this than letting them go back to a hotel room and lying around in the air conditioning. Again nothing scientific just observations.

I agree w/ the air conditioning. I'm not a doctor, but it seems like you have to aclimate yourself to it, and you can't do that being in 75 degree central air 9 hours a day. It's happening here to me at work.

 

It's proven that your body adjusts when you're exposed to heat...

It's proven that your body adjusts when you're exposed to heat...

 

Not quite true or at least mine didn't. I have worked outside since the 1st of March from 9am until around 2pm or so in weather that included rain, cold, nice, windy and hot and even after I thought I "was use" to the heat, I got sick on Thursday from the heat!

 

Your body does adjust but you still can go down in extremes and Thursday was one of those days!

Not quite true or at least mine didn't. I have worked outside since the 1st of March from 9am until around 2pm or so in weather that included rain, cold, nice, windy and hot and even after I thought I "was use" to the heat, I got sick on Thursday from the heat!

 

Your body does adjust but you still can go down in extremes and Thursday was one of those days!

 

Believe me, I took an exercise physiology class in college and was an exercise science major. If exposed to the heat, your body does adjust.

 

The Heat Acclimatization Process

The process of acclimatization refers to the adaptation or adjustment to a new environment. Heat

acclimatization occurs when a person moves from a cool to hot climate, from a hot-dry to a hot-wet

environment, or simply adjusts to the seasonal change from the spring to the summer. Many of the

physiological adaptive changes of heat acclimatization are similar to those of physical training: reduced

heart rate and core temperature, increased cutaneous blood flow and plasma volume, as well as increased

work time until exhaustion. Over the acclimatization period, sweat rate is increased, the threshold for the

onset of sweating is lowered (ie, earlier onset of sweating), and the electrolyte content of sweat is decreased

(5, 6).

How can heat acclimatization be induced? The typical duration required is 10–14 days in the warmer

environment, but 75% of the adaptation is believed to occur within the first 5 days (6). Initially exercise

sessions should be reduced in both duration and intensity below normal training levels. For example, the

first few sessions may last only 15–30 min at moderate intensity (50–60% of aerobic capacity) compared to

a standard high-intensity 60-min workout. A gradual build up back to normal levels would follow over the

next 7 to 10 sessions.

At this point, a comment about acclimation is appropriate. A term similar to acclimatization, acclimation

refers to the intermittent exposure to simulated environmental conditions for the express purpose of

improving heat tolerance. Examples of heat acclimation are exercising in a warm, humid room (like a

swimming pool natatorium) or wearing extra layers of clothing to retard effective evaporative cooling.

Acclimation can be used in the weeks prior to traveling to a hot environment. This may be particularly

helpful if a large temperature/humidity difference exists between the athlete's accustomed local climate and

the destination climate. Not infrequently, athletes may be unable to reside in the hot environment at the

destination site long enough to fully acclimatize. In these cases, acclimation may be the primary method

that athletes employ to prepare for competition in the heat.

In terms of the acclimatization process, the time of day a practice session is scheduled in the hot

environment should be carefully considered. If competition is scheduled for 14:00 hr (2:00 p.m.), then the

athlete should plan to train at that time, although perhaps not initially. Repeated exposure and subsequent

acclimatization to these peak heat stress conditions would be necessary. In contrast, an event scheduled for

early morning or late evening would not require that an athlete train during the hottest part of the day.

Attention to clothing is also an important consideration. Selection of attire should be based in part on fabric

characteristics that minimize heat storage and enhance vaporization of sweat. Uniforms that are white or

light-colored, made of cotton or other breathable fabrics, and maximize skin exposure, are beneficial design

qualities. Also, avoid use of oil-based sunscreens that increase sweat run-off and interfere with evaporative

cooling.

It is important to be aware that variations in the individual's typical daily routine, such as sleep loss, poor

food choices (low glycogen stores), bacterial and viral infections, and certain medications can retard heat

acclimatization. When additional stressors such as these are present, it is prudent to scale back exercise

sessions and heat exposures accordingly and temporarily reduce expectations.

 

International SportMed Journal; 2000, Vol. 1 Issue 2, p1, 6p

 

 

Human Body Equipped to Handle Temperature Extremes

Not quite true or at least mine didn't. I have worked outside since the 1st of March from 9am until around 2pm or so in weather that included rain, cold, nice, windy and hot and even after I thought I "was use" to the heat, I got sick on Thursday from the heat!

 

Your body does adjust but you still can go down in extremes and Thursday was one of those days!

 

Well you can't hydrate with beer!