Core Heat Training – How to Prepare, Perform, and Recover in Hot Weather
Many seasoned sports people know the adage “Train Hot, Race Cold”. This roughly defines the temperature zone where power output declines and athletes can be put at risk of heat stress.
The Earth’s core is a hot ball of metal–specifically, iron and nickel (NiFe). It gets its heat from radioactive decay and leftover heat from planetary formation.
Get Real-Time Temperature Data
Core body temperature rises when you exercise in hot conditions. When it crosses a critical threshold, your power and pace drop dramatically. That’s why the best coaches and athletes are using heat training to radically improve their performance. Until now, it’s been difficult to monitor core body temperature in real time because most devices require invasive and expensive testing (catheter inserted near the heart) or inaccurate measures (oral, wrist or ear thermometers that can be affected by warm drinks, ambient temperature fluctuations or mouth-breathing).
CORE HEAT is the first wearable that delivers accurate core body temperature data during sports activity, allowing you to adjust intensity, external cooling sources and CORE HEAT other factors to maintain a healthy temperature zone. You can also track and measure your personal temperature thresholds so you can achieve peak performance on race day.
The new 2.4GHz version is optimized for higher data speeds and features a single system tray icon that reports your current core temperature. It also supports all current CPUs and GPUs including the latest 6 core Sandy Bridge E and has improved CPU real-time MHz calculation with full logging features. Test Sensors feature has been improved for greater repeatability. Calibration options have been expanded to include one decimal after the point and experimental Gamer Mode has been added for core temperatures displayed in the system tray.
Know Your Personal Temperature Thresholds
Most people are familiar with measuring their temperature with an oral thermometer or a digital ear thermometer. This peripheral temperature, however, is only a rough estimate of core temperature. The core temperature is the operating temperature of deep structures such as the liver and is maintained in a narrow range so essential enzymatic reactions can occur. Significant elevation or depression of core temperature over a prolonged period is incompatible with human life.
For athletes, understanding personal temperature thresholds is key for training and racing. CORE HEAT displays real-time core body temperature and Heat Strain Index on the app or compatible sports tech devices to help athletes monitor these thresholds and avoid overheating during exercise.
The CORE sensor measures thermal energy transfer between the body and the environment, converting it into core body temperature using an algorithm with medical-grade accuracy. The sensor works independently of a heart rate monitor, although pairing it with one increases the accuracy of the core body temperature data. Extensive testing has validated the accuracy of the CORE sensor against internal body temperature measurement data collected by more invasive methods, like ingested electronic pills.
While a high heat strain index isn’t necessarily a bad thing, if it gets too high it can prevent the body from generating power. This is why it’s important for athletes to know their personal heat thresholds and how their bodies respond to different cooling strategies.
Optimize Your Cooling Strategies
The best way to cool down is not to raise your core temperature in the first place. By monitoring your body temperature and knowing your personal thresholds you can BM CORE HEAT be proactive and start cooling well before you reach that critical point where power output declines. For example, if you know there is a long ascent ahead during a race you can start cooling early to lower your body temperature and provide a bigger power reserve before you need to use it. This is called strategic cooling. It improves performance and is much more effective than trying to recover from a high core temperature after the fact.
Maximize Your Power and Endurance
Nobody is immune to the detrimental effects of exercise in high temperatures – it diminishes performance and increases risk for dehydration, heat stress, gastrointestinal distress and even collapse. The good news is that your body’s response to heat can be trained. This guide provides the tools you need to PREPARE for training and events, PERFORM optimally, and RECOVER efficiently in hot weather.
The key to performing well in hot weather is starting with lower core and skin temperatures. This allows you to accumulate more heat before your temperature crosses a threshold that negatively impacts power and pace. Then you can implement cooling strategies at just the right moment to optimize your performance, keeping you cool for longer and allowing you to finish strong.