For years in Scotland, we’ve joked that summer is usually just a weekend of sunshine in amongst the rain.
But recently, hot weather in the UK has become no laughing matter.
We are now seeing more frequent heatwaves, rising temperatures, and record-breaking conditions that would once have felt unusual for this part of the world. The UK passed 40°C for the first time in 2022, and in June 2026 we saw provisional new June temperature records, with parts of the country reaching temperatures that are more commonly associated with holiday destinations than home.
This is no longer just “a nice warm day”.
It is part of a bigger pattern linked to climate change, and it affects how we live, work, sleep, recover, and exercise.
At DMC Fitness, we are big believers in consistency. We want people to move regularly, build strength, improve mobility, and look after their long-term health. However, consistency does not mean blindly doing the same workout in all conditions. Training smart means listening to your body, respecting the environment you are in, and adapting when needed.
During a heatwave, the goal is not to prove how tough you are.
The goal is to stay safe, keep moving where appropriate, and avoid turning a healthy habit into a health risk.
Why heat changes the way your body responds to exercise
When you exercise, your body naturally produces heat. Normally, you manage that through sweating, breathing, blood flow to the skin, and cooling down once the session is over.
But when the air temperature is high, especially when humidity is high too, your body has to work much harder to keep your core temperature under control. Your heart rate can climb faster. You may sweat more. You may lose more fluid and salt. A workout that normally feels manageable can suddenly feel far more draining.
That is why a run, cycle, bootcamp, gym session or even a long walk can feel completely different during a heatwave.
It is not that you have suddenly lost fitness overnight. It is that your body is dealing with extra stress.
This is particularly important for people who are returning to exercise, those over 50, anyone carrying old injuries, and those already dealing with poor sleep, stress, low energy or health conditions. Add heat on top, and the body has less room for error.
Who is most at risk during hot weather?
Anyone can become unwell in hot weather. Being fit does not make you immune to heat exhaustion or heatstroke.
That said, some people need to be especially careful. This includes older adults, babies and young children, pregnant women, and people with long-term health conditions such as heart problems, breathing issues, diabetes, kidney disease, Parkinson’s disease, dementia, or mobility problems.
People taking certain medications may also be more vulnerable, as some medicines can affect hydration, sweating, blood pressure, or how the body regulates temperature. Those who are already unwell, dehydrated, or recovering from sickness are also at greater risk.
There is another group that often gets overlooked: active people.
Runners, cyclists, walkers, outdoor workers, manual workers, sports players and people who train hard can all put themselves at risk during extreme heat. Sometimes the problem is not lack of fitness. It is overconfidence.
If you normally push through discomfort, track your steps, chase your pace, or hate missing a session, hot weather can tempt you into making poor decisions.
This is where self-care matters.
Sometimes that means saying, “Today is not the day for doing 110%.”
The difference between sensible discomfort and warning signs
Exercise should challenge you, but during a heatwave you need to pay closer attention to how you feel.
Warning signs of heat exhaustion can include tiredness, weakness, dizziness, headache, feeling sick, heavy sweating, muscle cramps, intense thirst, or feeling faint.
If this happens, stop what you are doing. Move somewhere cooler, remove unnecessary clothing, drink fluids, and cool your skin with water, a damp cloth, fan, or cold packs wrapped in a cloth.
Heatstroke is more serious and should be treated as an emergency. Signs can include confusion, loss of coordination, a very high temperature, hot skin that is not sweating, fast breathing, a fast heartbeat, seizures, or loss of consciousness.
This is not something to “walk off”.
If someone is still unwell after around 30 minutes of cooling down, or if they show signs of heatstroke, they need urgent medical help.
How to adapt your training during a heatwave
The first thing to remember is that adapting your training is not failure.
It is intelligent training.
In very hot weather, your usual workout may need to change. That could mean moving your session earlier in the morning or later in the evening. It could mean reducing the intensity. It could mean cutting the session shorter. It could mean swapping high-intensity cardio for mobility work, stretching, gentle strength training, or a walk in the shade.
If you are training outdoors, avoid the hottest part of the day. In the UK, that usually means being especially careful between 11am and 3pm. Go early, go later, seek shade, and do not assume that cloud cover means there is no risk. You can still burn and overheat on cloudy days.
If you are training indoors, remember that not all indoor spaces are cool. Small rooms, garages, conservatories, poorly ventilated gyms, upstairs bedrooms and home workout spaces can become extremely hot. If the room feels like an oven before you start, that is your warning.
During hot weather, it is sensible to lower your expectations. Use lighter weights. Take longer rests. Keep more water nearby. Avoid pushing to failure. Do not chase personal bests. Save the brutal finisher for another day.
Your body is already working hard to regulate temperature. You do not need to add unnecessary punishment.
Hydration: start before you are thirsty
By the time you feel very thirsty, you may already be behind.
Hydration in hot weather is not just about drinking a pint of water after training. It is about sipping fluids consistently throughout the day, especially before exercise, during activity, and afterwards.
A useful simple check is the colour of your pee. Pale straw is usually a good sign. Dark yellow can be a sign that you are dehydrated and need to take in more fluid.
Water is usually enough for normal daily activity, but if you are sweating heavily, exercising for longer, or feeling drained after a hot session, you may benefit from replacing electrolytes too. This can come from food, milk, oral rehydration drinks, or appropriate electrolyte products.
Be careful with alcohol in hot weather. It can make dehydration worse and affect sleep, decision-making and recovery. Caffeine affects people differently, but if you are already struggling with heat, poor sleep or dehydration, it is worth being sensible with your intake.
Clothing, sunscreen and common sense
Wear light, loose-fitting clothing where possible. Breathable fabrics can make a big difference. A hat, sunglasses and sunscreen are not just for holidays abroad. The UK sun can still damage your skin, even when it does not feel tropical.
If you are walking, running or cycling outside, think about your route. Can you choose shade? Can you avoid exposed roads and pavements? Make sure to carry water. If you’re feeling a bit warm suddenly then dip into a shop to cool down a little. Can you turn back early if needed?
Hot pavements and roads can also be dangerous for dogs and can cause serious burns, so this is not the time to drag the dog out for a midday walk just to hit your daily steps
Steps are useful. Heatstroke is not.
Preparing your home and environment
Looking after yourself during a heatwave is not only about what you do during exercise. Your environment matters too.
Many homes in the UK are designed to keep heat in, not let it out. That is great in January. Not so much when your bedroom feels like a depths of hell.
During the day, keep curtains or blinds closed on windows facing the sun. If it is hotter outside than inside, opening windows can actually make your home warmer, so it may be better to keep them closed during the hottest part of the day. Then, when the air outside becomes cooler in the evening or overnight, open windows if it is safe to do so and try to create airflow through the house.
Turn off lights, chargers, laptops and electrical equipment you are not using, as they all emit heat. Avoid using the oven during the hottest part of the day if you can. Cold meals, salads, fruit, yoghurt, smoothies and simple high-protein options can be much more appealing when it is hot.
If one part of the house is cooler, use it. That might mean sleeping downstairs, spending time in a shaded room, or setting up your work area somewhere cooler for a few days.
Fans can help, but they are not magic. If the air is extremely hot, fans may be less effective, especially if they are just moving hot air around. Spraying the skin with cool water, using a damp cloth on the neck, cooling the feet, or using wrapped cold packs under the arms or around the neck can help the body cool down. Maybe even invest in a small portable air conditioning unit like this one to keep your most used room cool.
Think sensible planning and alter your environment accordingly.
Check on others
Heat can be isolating, especially for older people, people living alone, or those with health conditions.
A quick phone call or message can make a real difference. Ask if they have enough fluids. Ask if their home is too hot. Ask if they need shopping, medication collected, or help setting up a cooler room.
At DMC, we talk a lot about community because health is easier when people look out for each other. Heatwaves are one of those moments where community really matters.
What should you do if you still want to train?
You can still move during hot weather. You just need to be smart.
A good heatwave-friendly session might be 20–30 minutes of gentle mobility, easy strength work, breathing drills, stretching, or a short walk early in the morning or later in the evening. You should finish feeling better, not destroyed.
This is a great time to focus on the things people often neglect: ankle mobility, hip mobility, shoulder control, deep breathing, balance, light core work, gentle stretching, or technique practice.
You do not lose fitness because you took a few days away from intense training.
In fact, backing off at the right time can help you recover, sleep better, reduce stress, and come back stronger when the temperature drops.
The bigger picture
Climate change means hotter weather is becoming a more realistic part of life in the UK. That does not mean every summer day will be extreme, and it does not mean we should panic every time the sun comes out.
But it does mean we need to adapt.
For fitness, that means taking heat seriously. It means planning sessions around the conditions. It means drinking enough, sleeping as well as possible, cooling your environment, and knowing when to reduce intensity.
Health is not just about pushing harder.
Sometimes health is about making the sensible decision before your body forces you to.
So, when temperatures rise, do not abandon movement altogether. Just adjust the plan.
Train earlier. Train lighter. Train indoors if it is cooler. Prioritise mobility. Hydrate properly. Keep your home as cool as possible. Check on people who may be vulnerable.
And remember, the aim is not to win a workout during a heatwave.
The aim is to build “Strength for Life”.
Davie
Davie McConnachie
Davie McConnachie is an award-winning coach, entrepreneur, speaker and founder of DMC Fitness. Since 2015, he has helped thousands of people transform their health, build strength, improve performance and develop a lifelong relationship with fitness.
Through his own experiences of adversity, recovery and personal growth, Davie has developed a coaching philosophy centred on resilience, self-mastery and sustainable progress. His mission is simple: to help people become stronger, healthier and more capable in every area of life while falling in love with fitness along the way.
Strength for Life.
