Sports Training in Summer Months

Whether a sports professional or keen amateur at a local club any individual who trains throughout the year should be aware of the potential dangers of heat stress during hot summer months or when training overseas.
In the UK we are less prepared for the periods of high temperatures and humidity and as such when we expose ourselves to these extremes we are far less acclimatised than others who train regularly in hotter countries. This is particularly true when training in the early parts of the season or when first exposed to high temperatures. More athletes get injured in the early part of their training programme than in actual events due to Exertional Heat Stroke, which can be extremely dangerous leading to brain damage and even death.
In the USA the Korey Stringer Institute (KSI), a research facility at the University of Connecticut has been conducting research for many years, focusing on preventing sudden deaths in sports especially related to heat stress. The KSI has proven that WBGT (wet bulb globe temperature) is the most accurate way of assessing athlete’s acclimatisation during training and setting safe parameters. Knowing the WBGT helps athletic trainers and coaches ease their players into workouts so players can build up stamina in the heat.
Both the Kestrel 4400 and Kestrel 4600 supply extremely accurate WBGT readings automatically and at the exact location of the training. This allows both athletes and coaches to keep a continuous eye on the local environmental conditions giving them the data to make informed decisions and improved training plans.
Richard Paul Russell Ltd is keen to hear from any professional or amateur sporting bodies that have a need to monitor heat stress and WBGT related to sports training.