Anyone else workout with no AC?

P

pixie9

Cathlete
Hello all! Since I've moved to Germany I haven't worked out in AC for awhile now, which has been fine. But now that the weather is more hot and humid, I feel like every workout is a marathon sweatfest which would be great except that I feel like I'm DYING! I realize the body acclimates to heat and humidity but I'm wondering if it ever feels more comfortable. I literally cannot finish a workout lately. I tried to do the cardio blast premix from BM2 the other day and had to stop without finishing the last 2 segments. Even though I only worked out a total of 50 minutes (with 2, 3-4 minute breaks included) I burned 700(!!!!!!) calories! This sort of calorie burn usually takes me 70-80 minutes of INTENSE cardio! I really don't want to spring for an AC but if I must, I must. My question again, for those who've gone through this, does it get better? Any words of wisdom in the meantime?

TIA
Carolyn
 
What about fans? OR - when do you do your workouts? I find early in the morning before the day's heat sets in helps a lot. Of course I NEVR run my AC anyway - I'm one of weird ones who loves the heat and humidity. This year the heat onset has been very fast so yes, your body will acclimate. But in the mean time, I'd go for fans, early a.m. workouts or a cooler basement if that's possible.

Lorrie

www.picturetrail.com/lsass

I'll be walking the Komen 3-day (60 miles) the week after Cathe's RT. To view my webpage go to: https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=202302&supid=166016627
 
Hi Lorrie! Good idea about working out early. My workout area is in the basement and I do have a fan going in front of an open door as well. I'm thinking that the workouts have to be around 5am then (or earlier) because the sun comes up so early now. I'm one who likes to workout right before lunch, so this could be quite the transition if I can get my butt up that early.
Do you workout with no AC as well? How do you manage it?

Carolyn
 
I tried to work out at a YMCA with no AC and couldn't do it. Another time I had a heat rash on my arms. Like the previous post suggested try fans or earlier in the morning. Make sure you drink lots of water. You may also have to tone down the intensity. Even in AC it would take me a week to adjust when it really got hot.
Ellen
 
with this rate increase in the eletric company (25% but haha they were told only 3.5% so its going to take 20 years to get that refund back), i have no choice sometimes but to cut corners and that means cutting back on the AC. i workout in the morning, i don't have a fan but fortuanlly my living room has large sliding glass doors. i might get a good breeeze in. but during the even warmer months a fan will help and if its dangerously humid and high temps i will use the AC but i try to fall back on the suggestions here for fans and i also douse myself in water bewteen breaks. ice cold water to the face(don't wipe it off now) really helps me to cool off until i finished myworkout. granted i have to take more frequent breaks but it helps as to not get overheated trying to make through a workout. just my way of doing things though,everybody is different.

kassia

http://www.picturetrail.com/ldy_solana

"And do what thee wilt as long as ye harm none"

060104_10010099873.gif
 
Wow, Carolyn, how hot is it in Germany anyway? I live in S. Florida and work out on my back patio under a fan. I am pretty used to it, but the warmer it gets, the earlier in morn or later in the eve I have to do it. So far this year I have been able to work out whenever I wanted, but by mid summer I will have to time it better. It does impact my endurance. On a cool breezy night I feel like I can run forever, on a hot humid afternoon I have to slog through it. The fun factor varies w/ extreme temps. Good luck
 
Everybody is different, and some have a harder time dealing with heat and humidity, but I think eventually you'll adjust. I live in Arkansas, and summers are pretty nasty. I used to run in the middle of the day, in 90 F and around 90% humidity without too much problem. One thing I've noticed, though, is that as I get older I'm not able to tolerate the humidity as well.

Just make sure you drink LOTS of water because I know that sort of weather makes you sweat buckets!!!
 
Carolyn,
I have NEVER had AC available for working out except on the rare occasion that I'm in a gym. I have the best solution for you. Have you ever seen the large metal shop fans that rest on the floor? They have usually have a brand name like Vortex, Wind Tunnel, or Velocity, and there is a reason. These things will blow you away! I don't think I've ever had to crank it up to level 3 even on the hottest days. Don't just have it in the doorway, but actually put the fan somewhere where it will be blowing in you during most of the workout. It might take a little experimentation, but it really doesn't take up very much room at all.
Here's a link to what I'm talking about:
http://www.ekitchengadgets.com/wi10pehivefa.html?CS_001=5&CS_002=21&CS_010=01- 9HVC

This has been a lifesaver for me!

:7
Mattea
 
Hi Jody. It's not that hot actually (maybe 80 degrees in the middle of the day), but it has been humid and humidity can be a KILLER. I can't get my HR to steady state (it stays in the 170's!!) and my body just sweats and sweats but can't cool itself. I was even feeling a bit dizzy during my workouts which kinda scared me. I know I'm just not used to it yet but it sucks that my workouts are really suffering in the meantime. I suppose in Florida, you have some degree of heat year round while in Germany, we have all 4 seasons so my body has to acclimate all over again. So you never work out in AC? I'm so surprised (and awed) when people don't use AC for exercising purposes. I've never had to go through this before (I must sound like such a wimp!).

Carolyn
 
>Carolyn,
>I have NEVER had AC available for working out except on the
>rare occasion that I'm in a gym. I have the best solution for
>you. Have you ever seen the large metal shop fans that rest on
>the floor? They have usually have a brand name like Vortex,
>Wind Tunnel, or Velocity, and there is a reason. These things
>will blow you away! I don't think I've ever had to crank it up
>to level 3 even on the hottest days. Don't just have it in the
>doorway, but actually put the fan somewhere where it will be
>blowing in you during most of the workout. It might take a
>little experimentation, but it really doesn't take up very
>much room at all.
>Here's a link to what I'm talking about:
>http://www.ekitchengadgets.com/wi10pehivefa.html?CS_001=5&CS_002=21&CS_010=01- 9HVC
>
>This has been a lifesaver for me!
>
>:7
>Mattea

Mattea, thanks so much for the info! Do you find you still have to time your workouts at cooler parts of the day or does this eliminate the need?

Carolyn
 
Carolyn--I can feel your pain! I workout in a basement which is a bit cooler yet sometimes I have to mop up the puddle beneath me. Since I am trying my best to conserve I use a nice large fan and drink gallons. I don't do well exercising in heat but I do the best I can.
 
Carolyn I get up at 4:15 to workout, but that's only because it's the only time of day I can workout uninterrupted. No - I do not ever use my AC, but at 4:15 on a summer morning, the open doors and fans are quite pleasant. Even in the 90 degrees with high humidity I turn on all of my ceiling fans, open all the doors and windows, and run my house exhaust fan, which draws cool air up from my basement. I love summer. I think it's entirely too short and for me there is nothing like the SMELL of summer air permeating my home - you just can't get that with closed windows and AC on. But I also love to sweat in the humidity - I feel "cleansed". I recognize that I am very odd this way though. Good luck.

Lorrie

www.picturetrail.com/lsass

I'll be walking the Komen 3-day (60 miles) the week after Cathe's RT. To view my webpage go to: https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=202302&supid=166016627
 
Carolyn,
I still *try* to get the workout in "earlier" (like before noon), but not anything like 5 am. NOT that much of a morning person, lol! I'm usually up by 7:30 and working out by around 9:00-10:00. Of course, if I'm running outside that day it's a different story, but I use the fan for the treadmill or the stationary bike. It is a flippin' miracle! :D :D

Mattea
 
>Carolyn--I can feel your pain! I workout in a basement which
>is a bit cooler yet sometimes I have to mop up the puddle
>beneath me. Since I am trying my best to conserve I use a
>nice large fan and drink gallons. I don't do well exercising
>in heat but I do the best I can.

You people are AMAZING! Beavs, how long have you been AC free? Do you have to take frequent breaks?? Don't you feel depleted and totally exhausted when you're done? Sorry for the 20 questions, I'm still kinda floored that you ladies don't use AC!! I'm inspired now to hold off on buying an AC to see if I can do it.;)

C
 
Carolyn,
Get yourself a headband and tie up the hair. You might look Phyllis Diller doing a comedy skit but you will feel so much better. Try to wear clothing to wick away moisture. Personally, I buy my stuff at LL Bean but you can it almost anywhere. The less you feel like you are swimming in your clothes the less likely you are to feel uncomfortable. Then, do not be ashamed to take breaks as your body speaks to you and guzzle the water (you know Cathe and cast are taking breaks when the camera is off ;-) ). Do keep a fan near you and remember that some days you might just have to do something less strenuous because it's simply too hot and humid to be hardcore. BTW, I do cheat on occasion. I have a $10 a month membership to Planet Fitness and on the steamy days I am known to take advantage of the a/c for a session with Coach Sean on the elliptical. That will be our little secret ;-)
 
This is kinda amusing to me. We've been having a warm spell for this early in the year in Chicago, and my hubby actually broke down and turned on the A/C yesterday. I was just going to tough it out so I didn't have to listen to him complain about the electric bill. I generally workout in the basement, so A/C or no A/C doesn't really matter to me, unless its really muggy outside, then all that humidity in the air gets in the house and no matter how much I sweat, I can't cool off, so then I NEED the A/C. For me its actually worse in the winter when the heats running an blowing down my back. I've been known to turn the heat off in Jan for an hr or so so I can workout w/out dying. Of course, then hubby and son freeze upstairs!!! The best I can suggest for you is a fan to circulate the air but maybe aim it more towards your middle/lower body. I know for me, if I have a fan blowing on my top half or face when I'm working out it makes me very nauseated, and thats not a real great feeling when you're already hot and sweaty. But try a basement, early morning (yuck) or later evening. Also (and this is kinda hokey - but I grew up w/ no A/C) put a bowl of ice w/ a little water in front of your fan so the fan blows across the ice. Instant sort-of A/C!!

Nan
 
I live in North Florida and while I have AC in the house, I also go to a fitness bootcamp 3 days a week. We either workout outside or in a non-air conditioned building. They have fans and the door is open but it gets really hot and stuffy. I actually have gotten used to it and would rather workout in the heat than in the cold. I sweat like crazy even in normal temperatures so I'm not bothered by it. I just drink tons of water and noticed that this really helps my energy level in the heat. I can tell when I don't drink enough water.
 
I live in Houston and have started working out in the garage this year due to space constraints in my tiny bungalow. I find the humidity affects me much more than the heat so I work out later in the day when the temperature is higher, but the humidity is lower. I, too, have a large fan in front of a window blowing directly on me throughout the entire workout. There's now way I could work out in the morning or without the fan on full force...

Vanessa
 
I don't use the AC yet. I work out early in the morning in my living room so it's not too bad. I usually put the ceiling fan on and open up the front and back doors and have my screens up to get some air moving. When it gets too humid or the temperature reaches 80 in the morning, I'll turn it on, otherwise I try to do without.

Marcy
 
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