The Trick To Making Summer Workouts Feel Easier

According to a new study, the right dose of caffeine before a workout in the heat could keep you from quitting early and even make it feel easier. The research looks at how caffeine affects performance in hot weather by tracking 17 trained participants who did four different workouts, one in a comfortable room at around 76-degrees, and three in the heat, about 92-degrees.

• They were tested on performance after having no caffeine, a moderate dose of caffeine, or a high dose. The moderate dose is about two cups of coffee for a 150-pound person, while the higher dose was about four to five strong cups.
• Researchers tracked endurance time, lung function, aerobic capacity and how hard the workout felt, known as “perceived exertion.”
• They found both doses of caffeine helped, but the higher dose led to better endurance in the heat and easier breathing.
• But the extra caffeine seemed to help most with how exhausting the workout felt. Caffeine reduces the brain’s perception of fatigue and boosts motivation, so it basically makes the brain

think the exercise is less tiring than it actually is.

The results suggest that caffeine can help give you a performance edge when working out in hot conditions and make it feel like less of a struggle. Experts recommend starting small with a lower dose, timing it to have about an hour before exercising, and drinking plenty of water to make sure you’re not getting dehydrated in the heat.

Source: Mind Body Green