Turn up the heat on your workout and get your sweat on
Is it time to turn up the heat on your routine to really torch the calories?
Hot workouts are big news right now, especially after Cheryl admitted that she’s been following celeb PT Tracy Anderson’s online exercise plan and creating a DIY hot studio by blasting up the heating. “I have four heaters and two humidifiers. It’s not for the faint-hearted, honestly, I am an extremist,” she admitted. Er, what?
But, as the temperature soars outside, are there benefits to getting sweaty in the heat? Does it really improve your body’s ability to torch calories, or is Cheryl just racking up a hefty heating bill?
warm up
Maddie Voke from Fierce Grace – which holds yoga classes in its specially heated studios, and attracts celeb fans including Helena Bonham Carter, Mel C, Russell Brand and Nick Grimshaw – says that there is science behind the sweatiness.
“For your body to stretch safely, it needs to be warm, and joints should be around 39°C to function optimally,” she explains. “Synovial fluid is thinned at this temperature, and is able to move more easily into the joints, bringing nutrients and carrying away waste products. It helps reduce friction and ensures smooth and easy movement. Likewise, muscle fibres need to be warm to be able to stretch and lengthen without the risk of injury. Also, exercising in a warm room assists with burning more calories and fat, as your body has to work harder to cool itself down.”
sweaty self-care
OK, so the good news is that leaving the gym drenched in sweat is actually a good thing. And not just for your body, but your skin, too. “It’s been proven to purge the skin of bacteria and the body of toxins such as alcohol, cholesterol and salt,” Maddie tells us.
But if the thought of performing a HIIT class with the heating on or going running in a heatwave doesn’t appeal to you, there’s a reason why stretch-based classes like yoga are the best places to get your sweat on.
Maddie says, “The higher temperature makes your body feel loose and elastic, so it’s easier to perform yoga poses without injury. Also, the heat is cathartic – emotionally and mentally. There is a scientific explanation for this, as Dr Ting – a sports-medicine physician at Hoag Orthopedic Institute in Irvine, California –
carried out research that suggested that temperature sensitive neural circuits to specific regions in the brain exist, and may play a significant role in controlling mood.”
Like any fitness class, it’s important to make sure you’re feeling well, and that if you have a medical condition, you have the thumbs-up from your doctor. It will take a few classes before you acclimatise, and if you’re feeling weird, let your instructor know.
As for Cheryl’s “hot home workouts”, like crop tops and dodgy French men, it’s probs best to leave that one to her. n