Training in Heat Improves Performance

Training in heat comes with health hazards, but it may also yield a signfiicant gain in performance. Gretchen Reynolds reports in the New York Times Well blog on a study conducted at the University of Oregon, where 20 competitive cyclists were put through a series of performance tests, including a time trial, under both hot and cool conditions. One set riders completed 10 training sessions in a lab heated to 104 degrees, while a second set completed the same training in a cooled laboratory. Then each rider repeated the laboratory performance tests from earlier in a cool setting. The researchers found that the cyclists who were heat acclimated performed anywhere from 4 to 8 percent better than they had before they trained in the heat, while the control group did not improve at all. Important to note: Reynolds warns readers who might be inclined to replicate the training that overheating can be dangerous: "If you begin to feel ill during any of the acclimation sessions, slow down or stop. Consult your doctor."

Read more from Gretchen Reynolds.