Why Humidity Matters More Than Temperature
During exercise, your body's main cooling system is sweat. As sweat evaporates from your skin, it takes heat with it, regulating your internal temperature. But when the air is already saturated with moisture, as it is during the monsoon, this evaporation
process slows down dramatically. Your sweat can't go anywhere, so it just drips off without providing much cooling effect. To compensate, your body has to work harder. It redirects more blood to the skin to try and dissipate heat, which means less oxygenated blood is available for your working muscles. This causes your heart rate to climb higher for the same level of effort, making your usual run or workout feel significantly tougher. This is why the 'feels like' temperature, or heat index, is a much more accurate guide for outdoor activity than the actual temperature alone.
Shifting Focus to 'Body Strain'
Instead of fixating on pace or the number on the thermometer, it's more effective to tune into your body's 'strain'. This isn't just about how tired your muscles are; it's a measure of the total cardiovascular load on your system. Think of it as the sum of all the stress your body is under, including the extra work it's doing to stay cool in the humid conditions. Life stressors like poor sleep or a demanding day at work also contribute to this overall strain, impacting how you perform. By learning to measure this internal effort, you can adjust your workout intensity to match what your body can actually handle on any given day, preventing overexertion and reducing injury risk.
How to Measure Your Effort Accurately
One of the simplest and most effective tools for measuring body strain is the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale. This is a subjective scale from 1 to 10 that rates how hard you feel you're working. A rating of 1-2 is very light activity, while a 9-10 is an all-out effort. During the monsoon, you might find that a run that usually feels like a 6 on the RPE scale now feels like an 8. That's a clear signal from your body to ease up. You can also use the 'talk test': at a moderate intensity (RPE 5-6), you should be able to hold a conversation. If you can only get out a few words at a time, you're pushing into high intensity (RPE 7-8). Heart rate monitors offer another objective measure; don't be surprised if your heart rate is 10-15 beats per minute higher than normal for the same pace.
Practical Tips for Monsoon Workouts
To train smart during the rainy season, some adjustments are necessary. Prioritise indoor workouts like strength training, yoga, or treadmill running on intensely humid days to remove weather from the equation. If you do exercise outdoors, choose the coolest parts of the day, such as the early morning or late evening. Shorten the duration or lower the intensity of your workouts, focusing on consistency rather than breaking personal records. Wear light-coloured, loose-fitting, and moisture-wicking fabrics; avoid cotton, which traps sweat and heat. Hydration is also crucial. Drink water throughout the day, not just during your workout, and consider an electrolyte drink for longer sessions to replace what you lose through heavy sweating. Finally, listen for warning signs of heat exhaustion, such as dizziness, nausea, headache, heavy sweating, and muscle cramps. If you experience these, stop exercising immediately, move to a cooler place, and rehydrate.
