TY - JOUR

T1 - Consensus recommendations on training and competing in the heat

AU - Racinais, Sébastien

AU - Alonso, Juan-Manuel

AU - Coutts, Aaron J

AU - Flouris, Andreas D

AU - Girard, Olivier

AU - González-Alonso, José

AU - Hausswirth, Christophe

AU - Jay, Ollie

AU - Lee, Jason K W

AU - Mitchell, Nigel

AU - Nassis, George P

AU - Nybo, Lars

AU - Pluim, Babette M

AU - Roelands, Bart

AU - Sawka, Michael N

AU - Wingo, Jonathan

AU - Périard, Julien D

N1 - CURIS 2015 NEXS 210

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - Exercising in the heat induces thermoregulatory and other physiological strain that can lead to impairments in endurance exercise capacity. The purpose of this consensus statement is to provide up-to-date recommendations to optimize performance during sporting activities undertaken in hot ambient conditions. The most important intervention one can adopt to reduce physiological strain and optimize performance is to heat acclimatize. Heat acclimatization should comprise repeated exercise-heat exposures over 1-2 weeks. In addition, athletes should initiate competition and training in an euhydrated state and minimize dehydration during exercise. Following the development of commercial cooling systems (e.g., cooling vests), athletes can implement cooling strategies to facilitate heat loss or increase heat storage capacity before training or competing in the heat. Moreover, event organizers should plan for large shaded areas, along with cooling and rehydration facilities, and schedule events in accordance with minimizing the health risks of athletes, especially in mass participation events and during the first hot days of the year. Following the recent examples of the 2008 Olympics and the 2014 FIFA World Cup, sport governing bodies should consider allowing additional (or longer) recovery periods between and during events for hydration and body cooling opportunities when competitions are held in the heat.

AB - Exercising in the heat induces thermoregulatory and other physiological strain that can lead to impairments in endurance exercise capacity. The purpose of this consensus statement is to provide up-to-date recommendations to optimize performance during sporting activities undertaken in hot ambient conditions. The most important intervention one can adopt to reduce physiological strain and optimize performance is to heat acclimatize. Heat acclimatization should comprise repeated exercise-heat exposures over 1-2 weeks. In addition, athletes should initiate competition and training in an euhydrated state and minimize dehydration during exercise. Following the development of commercial cooling systems (e.g., cooling vests), athletes can implement cooling strategies to facilitate heat loss or increase heat storage capacity before training or competing in the heat. Moreover, event organizers should plan for large shaded areas, along with cooling and rehydration facilities, and schedule events in accordance with minimizing the health risks of athletes, especially in mass participation events and during the first hot days of the year. Following the recent examples of the 2008 Olympics and the 2014 FIFA World Cup, sport governing bodies should consider allowing additional (or longer) recovery periods between and during events for hydration and body cooling opportunities when competitions are held in the heat.

U2 - 10.1007/s40279-015-0343-6

DO - 10.1007/s40279-015-0343-6

M3 - Review

C2 - 26002286

VL - 45

SP - 925

EP - 938

JO - Sports Medicine

JF - Sports Medicine

SN - 0112-1642

IS - 7

ER -