Are you ready for that summer body?
Personal trainer gives tips to stay active during the hotter months.
Who’s ready to train hard in time to show off their summer bodies? If that’s you, then local personal trainer Delmarié van Zyl has some tips for you!
The 22-year-old personal trainer at Verto Functional Fitness has been in the fitness industry since she was a teenager, always fighting for the top spot in athletics and sport at school, and then going on to do Sports Management and Personal Training courses.
She explained the best way to stay in shape is staying hydrated during the hot days and flipping a tyre or two with fellow athletes next to you.
You have to train harder during warmer months due to the temperatures rising and your body already having its own heat wave during the session.
” One would lean more towards tapping out than going on with the workout and you need to put in all you have, beating your body into submission and not giving in to your mind.”
Van Zyl suggested some easy exercises that one can do to stay in shape, such as swimming, or running through the sprinklers on a hot day, also some indoor cardio like sit-ups, push-ups, lunges and squats.
A few dos and don’ts when exercising:
• Always stay hydrated. Drink water throughout the day and definitely when working out.
• Always warm up and stretch before a session or competition. Make sure you cool down afterwards for about five minutes.
• If you have any pain during a movement that can’t be fixed by a stretch or technique adjustment, don’t push beyond it as it might cause a serious injury.
“It’s important to keep exercising even during very warm days because it helps you function more and keeps you from falling back into old habits of sitting around and having an ice cream on the couch. You’ll feel more energised after a few minutes of exercising and you will get more done throughout your day.”
When it comes to cooling down muscles after exercising, she said having a light stretch to cool down and easing the muscles to make sure the tension is released like stretching your legs, arms, back and wrists after a straining session help minimise muscle soreness and spasms.
When it comes to the gym, don’t wait for your mind to be in a better space before trying new things. Get started and take the journey as it comes; when there’s a challenge it’s best to turn around, take a few steps, breathe, turn back and rise up to it.”
