The Latest "Hot" Workout Fad

When I was working at the JCC, we had the "fan wars."

People on the cardio equipment wanted the fans on--they were working hard! But a retired WWII colonel invariably shut down the fans, proclaiming, "Can't stand this air blowing. When you work out, you need to SWEAT!"

He would have loved the latest fad: hot pilates, hot barre, hot cycle, and hot HIIT. Apparently, if it’s not a puddle-of-sweat workout, it’s not real.

Haven't we learned our lessons from hot yoga......???

Why would anyone want to work out in a sauna?

The marketing would have you believe that hotter is better. Choosing the cooler option makes you look, well, wimpy.....

The truth is: sweating more doesn’t mean you're working harder.

It just means you’re hot.

You can get just as strong, fit, and healthy in a 70-degree room as you can in a 100-degree one--probably more so.

Sweating just means your body is trying to keep you cool.

Exercising in the heat spikes your heart rate because your body is juggling 2 jobs at once: cooling you down while fueling your muscles.

No wonder you feel extra-exhausted!

But being more wiped out doesn’t mean you got a better workout. It usually means you couldn’t push as hard or go as long--not the intended goal!

What about “heat training” benefits?

If you’re preparing for a marathon in Texas or hiking in Thailand, practicing in hot conditions can help your body adapt. Otherwise, the heat works against you—slowing your pace, shrinking your reps, and increasing your risk of dehydration or even heat exhaustion.

It's like running in Alabama in the summer--you just hope to maintain your conditioning the best you can until fall gives us a break.

Charlie and I had first-hand experience last Thursday when the temperature dropped. We had the best run we'd had since my surgery in May!

​A sweaty workout is not a better one.

Exercising in sauna conditions does not

• make you more fit

• burn more calories

• accelerate weight loss--beyond the water weight lost from sweating!

The risks include dehydration and slipping on a sweaty floor.

One hot yoga instructor came under fire for chastising a participant for drinking water. ​

Most healthy bodies can adapt to heat with good hydration.

And some people like the masochistic thrill of working out in a puddle of their own sweat. If that’s you, enjoy the sauna-vibes. Just don’t measure the value of your workout in buckets of sweat.

Exercise doesn’t have to feel like punishment to be worthwhile. A class in a chilled room will build strength, improve endurance, and deliver all the health benefits without the extra baggage of heat stress.

You’ll probably perform better, recover faster, and—bonus—look less like you just ran through a car wash.

Choosing the cooler option isn’t wimpy. It’s smart.

While the “hotter is better” fad may keep spreading, just remember: you can't measure the effectiveness of a workout in buckets of sweat!