Ready to sweat? First, chill out. Cooling your body before or during exercise may boost your performance in hot conditions, says a new review in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Previous research shows that when your body temperature reaches 104 degrees Fahrenheit, your athletic performance takes a hit. So researchers analyzed 28 studies and found that athletes’ ability to do endurance exercises—including running and cycling—improved when they were exposed to chilly temps before working out in the heat.
Why it works: In some cases, core body temperature was actually lowered by the method of cooling (whether before or during exercise), so it took longer for athletes to reach the tap-out temp of 104 degrees. However, even if the athletes’ core body temperature wasn’t lowered, they still felt better because they perceived less strain in their workouts.
So how do you cool down before a hot workout? If you want to really lower your core body temp, research suggests you’ll have to spend 30 to 60 minutes in an ice-cold tub—which can be dangerous and uncomfortable. If you just want to cool down, hold an ice pack to your neck—an area that is more sensitive to temperature differences—to feel less taxed by the heat and perform better.
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