What You Should Wear for a Workout in Different Climates -

Do you know how to dress in different climates to workout? Do you like to run, cycle, or do another workout outside? Do you live in a place like me (Vegas) where the temperature fluctuates from higher than 100 degrees in the summer to the 30-40’s in the winter?

Whether your climate fluctuates that much or less, you should know what clothing is best to wear in these different temperatures.

You need to first understand what happens to the body during activity. While you exercise, your body temperature rises. Your body does a couple of things to help reduce this increase in temperature: including sweating and sending blood to your skin to be cooled instead of to the muscles.

Hot Weather

For warmer weather you should wear loose fitting clothing that can wick moisture away from your body. Why moisture wicking you may ask? Because this type of fabric will complement the body’s own sweat process to help you stay cool.

Also, when you wear loose clothing and your body is sweating, as you move and the air flows through that loose clothing, it creates a swamp cooler effect, keeping you cool.

Acclimate yourself: take your time getting used to the heat. Build up to doing longer workouts in the heat.
Drink plenty of fluids: Water is always the best, but your body will also be losing electrolytes so other fluids are important as well
Avoid the mid-day heat: perform your workout in the morning or evening when the sun has gone down.
Wear sunscreen: not only will this help reduce your cancer risk, but if you get a sunburn, your body can’t cool itself as efficiently.

Cold Weather

However, in colder climates the rise in body heat that occurs with exercise may not be enough to stop your body temperature from dropping too much. If your body temperature gets too low, your metabolism will slow causing mental confusion. Not a good idea to be out by yourself if this were to happen.

Just like in hot weather you want to stay hydrated because the colder weather dampens your thirst. You still need to get plenty of fluids.
Choose a safe surface: do your best to avoid wet surfaces and make sure your shoes have good traction. Do not want to have a slip or fall.
Wear layers: this makes it easy for you to take away or add as you need.
You also want to cover you head, face, and hands: your extremities are left unprotected when you are cold to protect your core. Wear gloves, hats, and earmuffs.

I was taught and still abide by myself, what I am calling the 20-degree rule. You want to dress as if it was 20 degrees warmer outside than it is because your body temperature will rise with whatever exercise you perform.