How to Exercise Safely This Summer When the Temperature Rises
It may still be May, but it feels as though summer has well and truly arrived. Hot, sunny days that rival the Mediterranean. However, higher temperatures can bring extra challenges, especially when it comes to staying active. We need to respect the heat and understand how it can impact our bodies. You may be waking up feeling full of energy, or the heat might be leaving you feeling somewhat sluggish or tired. Everyone is different. Nevertheless, when the weather warms up, adapting our routines ensures we can keep moving safely and comfortably.
Managing your energy in the heat is not just about staying cool. High temperatures can affect your circulation, make your joints feel a bit more fluid or stiff, and cause you to tire much faster than usual. Seated chair exercise offers a wonderful, low-impact way to keep your body moving, maintain your mobility and protect your well-being without putting unnecessary strain on your system. It is all about listening to your body and taking things gently, perhaps even abstaining on really hot days. What’s important is finding a balance between keeping active and staying safe. If you have any existing medical conditions, please remember to consult with your doctor.
Why Exercising Safely in the Heat Matters
As the temperature rises, our bodies have to work harder to keep us cool. Traditional exercise or pushing yourself too hard in the heat can quickly lead to dehydration, fatigue or feeling faint. Balance can sometimes feel a bit off when it is very warm, and the thought of a strenuous workout can feel completely unappealing.
If you do feel able to exercise – and please always listen to your body – by choosing gentle, chair-based movements, you remove those risks while still enjoying all the benefits of exercise. Keeping active helps to support your independence, improve your circulation and lift your mood.
5 Tips for Safe Seated Chair Exercise when It’s Hot
1. Sip Fluids Regularly
Staying well-hydrated is the single most important part of exercising safely in warm weather. Rather than waiting until you feel thirsty, try to keep a glass or bottle of cold water nearby and take regular, small sips before, during and after any exercise move or routine. At all our classes, we ensure everyone has a cold drink to hand and has a sip in between each routine.
2. Listen to Your Body
The heat can make our bodies react differently from one day to the next. Pay close attention to how you are feeling as you move, or even if you decide to exercise in the first place. If you start to feel uncomfortably warm, dizzy or breathless, pause immediately, rest in a cool spot and allow your heart rate to lower.
3. Go at Your Own Pace
There is absolutely no need to rush your movements or match anyone else’s speed. On warmer days, slowing down your routines or reducing the number of repetitions is a smart, healthy way to protect your energy levels while still keeping your muscles active.
4. Create a Cool Space to Exercise at Home
If you are joining one of our online sessions or practicing your movements at home, take a few minutes to prepare your environment. Close your curtains or blinds to block out direct sunlight, open a window to allow a breeze, or position a fan nearby to keep the air moving around you. Also, you know your body and your limits better than anyone else. If it just feels too hot to exercise, then don’t.
5. Wear Loose, Light Clothing
Choose clothing that is lightweight, breathable and loose-fitting. This allows air to circulate around your body and helps keep you cool as you move, ensuring you stay completely comfortable throughout your session.
Keeping You Cool the MOVEability Way
At MOVEability, we are completely committed to making exercise accessible and comfortable for everyone, whatever the weather. You never have to worry about overdoing it in our sessions because we actively adapt everything we do to accommodate the higher temperatures.
When you attend one of our community classes, you will find we bring in plenty of fans to keep the air as fresh and cool as possible. We also carefully tailor our class routines on hot days, building in extra rest periods, focusing on gentler, low-impact movements, and encouraging everyone to take frequent ‘grab a drink’ breaks. There is absolutely no pressure to get anything right or to push through discomfort – you simply do whatever you feel you can manage on the day. Even if, when you get to class, you decide to sit it out. We don’t judge. Our classes can be as much a social occasion as they are for exercise.
We also monitor everyone in the class and will discreetly offer suggestions to the group if we feel anyone needs to take it a little easier.
Join a Seated Exercise Class With MOVEability
Staying active during the summer months is a fantastic way to maintain your strength, look after your joints and stay socially connected. Whether the weather is warm or cool, our supportive community is here to help you enjoy the benefits of gentle movement.
Our classes are pay-as-you-go, so if it feels too hot for you to join a class, there is no pressure to attend.
If you would like to experience how good it feels to move, laugh and loosen up in a safe, comfortable environment, join a MOVEability online seated chair exercise class or one of our in-person classes in Berkshire. Our sessions are friendly, inclusive and designed for all abilities.
Want to try an online class? There is no fancy equipment – just a sturdy chair and a willingness to try.
Want to pop along to an in-person class? No upfront booking needed.
Your first class is FREE
MOVEability offers a wide range of on-site and online seated exercise classes for people of ALL ages and abilities. We believe movement should be inclusive and fun for everyone.
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