Most of us train in one of two places. Typically, we’ll select a climate-controlled gym where we know it’s going to be florescent lights and a steady 76 degrees every time we walk into the gym. Or, we might train at home, where the temperature is the same as the house – anything you’d like it to be. Typically, it will be similar to the gym, a comfortable 74 to 76 degrees.
However, there is one group or bodybuilders who prefer to bypass the standard comfortable conditions for something a little more hardcore. They are called the Outdoor Trainers. They train at whatever temperature it is outside.
On hot days, they sweat. It’s that simple. Industrial strength fans and cross-winds might help cool them. But they sweat. Training in the heat helps the body to sweat out toxins we ingest every day. It also allows the trainer to experience an almost animalistic feeling. When you’re training at 100+ degrees Fahrenheit, you stop thinking about the small, inconsequential things you face that day. Instead, you focus on just three things: Drinking enough water to stay hydrated, keeping the weight from slipping, and drying your face after each set. That’s it. Being able to ‘leave it all on the gym floor’ and stop thinking about all of the other worries of daily life is very good for training.
On cold days, they bundle up. Training in the cold is especially dangerous, as the muscle group tends to lose flexibility as temperature drops. One must dedicate additional time to stretching and work between sets to keep blood in the region. Cold workouts can be dangerous, but tend to be fairly popular among the hardcore powerlifter types. It must be something about conquering the elements!
Outdoor training is another popular way to add muscle and stay motivated. Remember Arnold and Franco in those infamous Muscle Beach photos? One can only imagine the motivation for lifts that comes from hearing a crowd of tourists cheering and taking your picture as you attempt to lift a personal best. When training outdoors for an audience or within reach of the beauty of nature, safely attempt to break your personal bests. There is a distinct advantage that comes from an adrenaline rush, and nothing creates an adrenaline rush like an impressionable, excited crowd. It’s like having dozens of excited training partners cheering you on, as you lift under the wide-open skies. Who couldn’t lift more in times like these?
