Beat the Heat: Stay Hydrated!

I know, I Know! A blog post about the heat already? Personally, I was thinking the same thing. As I write this, it’s June 1st and we have had about 3 days with temperatures over 15 degrees. But you needn’t worry. Within a month we will all be complaining that “she’s splittin’ the rocks outside” and the humidity “is enough to kill ya”. For many of us, this is an uncomfortable time of the year to work out. Many buildings do not have air conditioning and the humidity certainly does seem to instantaneously zap your strength.

So what are you options to deal with the heat and humidity? Perhaps you think that quitting training for the summer might help. While this may seem like a comfortable solution, you certainly aren’t going to make many gainz this summer if the only bicep curls you do involve lifting a beer can to your mouth. Well, you will make some gains but not the type that you will want to show off in all those sleeveless shirts and dresses you bought for the sunny summer days.

So obviously quitting isn’t actually an option but what can you do?

Make sure you stay hydrated!!

Okay, easy enough, but how much should you drink? Maybe you heard on Dr. Oz that you should drink 8 glasses of water per day. This is a good start but it is more of a recommendation for the “general population”, you know, the kind of people that get no regular physical activity.

The amount of water that an active individual should drink is dependent on the amount of weight they lose through perspiration (sweating) each workout. To determine an exact amount, you could weigh yourself before and after the workout, note the difference and adjust your water intake accordingly. Seem complex? That’s because it is! Too simplify, a man weighing between 180-200 pounds should drink about 400 mL of water every 20 minutes during exercise. A woman weighing between 130-150 pounds should drink about 300 mL of water every 20 minutes. This will likely feel like too much water. It doesn’t matter though, thirst is a poor indicator of hydration level.

The Take Home Message

To keep exercising in the summer, ensure you stay properly hydrated
General guidelines suggest 8 glasses of water per day
This is not enough for an individual engaging in strenuous physical activity
For Men: Drink 400 mL every 20 minutes during exercise
For Women: Drink 300 mL every 20 minutes during exercise

Prepared for the JKC blog by Coach Thomas

Dave Sullivan

Personal Strength Training by Thomas King

I’ve always struggled with both my weight and anxiety throughout my life. As a writer you live a pretty sedentary lifestyle filled with both realistic and unrealistic deadlines, so I needed something to get me off my butt and to get me moving. JK has been a godsend during this past year and a half in particular. The pandemic has been tough, but workouts with both Thomas and Jon have really helped reduce the stress and strain of a global pandemic, and added an anchor of normalcy back into my life — which has been worth its weight in gold.

JKC has created an incredibly inclusive environment that’s filled with all kinds of supportive folks from all kinds of different backgrounds. For folks like myself, being surrounded by people with such athletic ability can be intimidating in most gyms. It can actually be a deterrent, and it sometimes has been for me. But, at JKC it’s far from that — it’s inspirational. Everyone supports one another. Which is something that’s not easily found in this day and age, inside of a gym or out. Not to sound like a total cheeseball here, but it really feels like a family.

Erin Squarey

I had signed up for other gyms in the past and never went or rarely went. Something always got in the way or I was just too tired and lacked motivation to go. This way I’ve made a commitment to Jon or Thomas and I try very hard to keep my sessions once I’ve booked in. JKC is different from other gyms that I’ve tried in the past because no one is there to be “seen”. We are all there to get a good workout in and go on with our lives. And it’s a small gym so you get to know everyone and it’s like a big family. When I joined JKC, I couldn’t do a chin up with an elastic band, but I’ve slowly worked up to 10 free hanging chin ups. That was big because I hate chin ups.

Mike Noseworthy

JKC was recommended to me by my good friend Casidhe Dyke. Cas had been training with JKC for a while, and both he and his father had seen great results from the personal training that Jon and Thomas were giving them. I was and still am primarily a triathlete and I’ve always struggled with injuries. I was talking to Cas about incorporating more strength training in my program to try and prevent injuries going forward and Cas suggested that I give JKC a try. I reached out to Jon not long after, and the rest is history! After working with Jon and Thomas for a few months, I was getting stronger, faster, and most importantly, I was staying injury-free. I ended up being able to train the whole season without significant injury and posted a personal best at Ironman Copenhagen in 2018. A big part of that was due to the strength training and coaching I received at JKC.

Lloyd Hussey

Personal Strength Training by Jon-Erik Kawamoto

I started at JKC in January of 2014 and I’m 67 years old. When I had my Initial Assessment, I knew – almost immediately – that Jon knew what he was doing and what he was talking about. I was overweight, out of shape, and in serious need of someone, like Jon, who could get me back on a fitness/conditioning routine that suited me, my age, my less than acceptable physical condition, my sometimes intermittent RA, and my need for a structured, consistent and yet flexible training and conditioning program that would work for me.

Fundamentally, if I made a choice at all with respect to JKC – it was to continue to come back each week. I have not been in a lot of gyms. To be honest, they used to intimidate me. What makes JKC different is their approach to each and every one of their clients. Jon and Thomas – and now Craig – tailor each training regime to the particular needs of each client. That ensures that the training regime will suit each client upon the start of training and changes as the client improves. It adjusts for any physical setbacks such as injuries and it adjusts for success. It is just that simple.

It is also the consistent encouragement that comes from Jon, Thomas and Craig. That voice that comes to you while you are in the middle of a particularly difficult set – rear-foot elevated split squats comes to mind immediately – that says “good job” or “keep it up” or “just a couple more reps.” To know, in that moment, that you are not alone and the trainer is paying attention to what you are doing. That is priceless for me.

Carla Chaytor

I’m 29 and I just had my 3rd Liftiversary 🥳 at JKC. I chose to train here because of the great word on the street and the fact that at lululemon, we’re encouraged to support our local community. My day-to-day routine is very busy, and I love showing up and having to think very little about my workout. The vibes are always good, my music choice is usually accommodated, and the bys are incredibly supportive and compassionate, helping me reach my goals (even when I had a broken hand). I also get to be my weird self, and am embraced fully.

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