Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Exercise Training in Sweat Clothing in Cool Conditions to Improve Heat Tolerance

  • Review Article
  • Published:
Sports Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Training in sweat clothing in cool conditions has appeal as the most practical and exercise-specific method of improving heat tolerance when athletes cannot achieve natural acclimation to hot conditions prior to competition. However, both early and more recent studies have not provided sufficient evidence to allow a conclusive endorsement of this method. Despite this, it is apparent that training in sweat clothing in cool conditions can induce levels of thermal strain in trained individuals which are very similar to those experienced when the same exercise is performed in hot-humid conditions. Certainly, training in sweat clothing in cool conditions is preferable to attempting no artificial acclimation measures, although statistically significant improvements in heat tolerance beyond those induced by the training itself are rare.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adams WC, Fox RH, Fry AJ, MacDonald IC. Thermoregulation during marathon running in cool, moderate and hot environments. Journal of Applied Physiology 38 (6): 1030–1037, 1975

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Allan JR. The effects of physical training in a temperate and hot climate on the physiological responses of heat stress. Ergonomics 8: 445–453, 1965

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Allan JR, Crowdy JP, Haisman MF. The use of a vapour barrier suit for the practical induction of artificial acclimatization to heat: I. Winter experiment. Army Personnel Research Establishment Report 4, p. 65, Ministry of Defence, London, 1965

    Google Scholar 

  • Allan JR, Haisman MF. Modification of the physiological responses to heat stress by physical training with and without extra clothing. Army Operational Research Establishment Report 11, p. 64, Ministry of Defence, London, 1964

    Google Scholar 

  • Armstrong LE, Hubbard RW, De Luca JP, Christensen EL. Heat acclimatization during summer running in the north eastern United States. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 19 (2): 131–136, 1987

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Armstrong LE, Maresh CM. The induction and decay of heat acclimatization in trained athletes. Sports Medicine 12: 302–312, 1991

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bass DE. Thermoregulatory and circulatory adjustments during acclimatization to heat in man. In Hardy (Ed.) Temperature: its measurement and control in science and industry, vol. 3, pp. 299–305, Reinhold, New York, 1963

    Google Scholar 

  • Bolter CP. Preparation for competition in the heat. New Zealand Journal of Sports Medicine 15 (2): 36–37, 1987

    Google Scholar 

  • Canadian Association of Sports Sciences Position paper on protection from exertional heat injuries. Canadian Journal of Applied Sports Science: 99–100, 1981

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen JS, Gisolfi CV. Effects of interval training on work-heat tolerance of young women. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 14 (1): 46–52, 1982

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crowdy JP, Haisman MF. The use of a vapour-barrier suit for the practical induction of artificial acclimatization to heat: II. Summer experiment. Army Personnel Research Establishment Report 4, p. 65, Ministry of Defence, London, 1965

    Google Scholar 

  • Dawson B. Training in sweat clothing in cool conditions as a method of improving exercise-heat tolerance. PhD Thesis, University of Western Australia, 1988

    Google Scholar 

  • Dawson BT, Pyke FS. Responses to wearing sweat clothing during exercise in cool conditions. Journal of Human Movement Studies 15: 171–183, 1988

    Google Scholar 

  • Dawson BT, Pyke FS. Artificially induced heat acclimation of team game players with sweat clothing. Journal of Human Movement Studies 19: 101–117, 1990

    Google Scholar 

  • Dawson BT, Pyke FS, Morton AR. Effects on heat tolerance of training in cool conditions in sweat clothing. Australian Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport 20 (3): 3–10, 1988

    Google Scholar 

  • Dawson BT, Pyke FS, Morton AR. Improvements in heat tolerance induced by interval running training in the heat and in sweat clothing in cool conditions. Journal of Sports Sciences 7:189–203, 1989

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Edholm OG, Fox RH, Adam JM, Goldsmith R. Comparison of artificial and natural acclimatization. Federation Proceedings 22:709–715, 1963

    Google Scholar 

  • Fox RH, Goldsmith R, Hampton IFG, Hunt TJ. Heat acclimatization by controlled hyperthermia in hot-dry and hot-wet climates. Journal of Applied Physiology 22: 39–46, 1967

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Garden JW, Wilson ID, Rasch PJ. Acclimatization of healthy, young adult males to a hot-wet environment. Journal of Applied Physiology 21: 665–669, 1966

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gisolfi CV. Work-heat tolerance derived from interval training. Journal of Applied Physiology 35: 349–354, 1973

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gisolfi CV, Robinson S. Relations between physical training, acclimatization and heat tolerance. Journal of Applied Physiology 26: 530–534, 1969

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gisolfi CV, Wilson NC, Claxton B. Work-heat tolerance of distance runners. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 301: 139–150, 1977

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez RR, Pandolf KB, Gagge AP. Heat acclimation and decline in sweating during humidity transients. Journal of Applied Physiology 36: 419–425, 1974

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hahn AG, Tumulty D, Telford RD, Parker A, di Michiel T. Acclimatization of volleyball players to humid heat — preparation for competition in Bangkok. Excel 3: 6–10, 1986

    Google Scholar 

  • Henane R. Acclimatization to heat in man: giant or windmill? A critical reappraisal. In Szelenyi & Szekely (Eds) Advances in physiological sciences, vol. 32: Contributions to thermal physiology, pp. 275–284, Pergamon Press, Pécs, 1980

    Google Scholar 

  • Marcus P. Heat acclimatization by exercise-induced elevation of body temperature. Journal of Applied Physiology 33: 283–288, 1972

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pandolf KB. Effects of physical training and cardio-respiratory physical fitness on exercise — heat tolerance: recent observations. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 11: 60–65, 1979

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Piwonka RW, Robinson S. Acclimatization of highly trained men to work in severe heat. Journal of Applied Physiology 22: 9–12, 1967

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sawka MN, Young AJ, Francesconi RP, Muza SR, Pandolf KB. Thermoregulatory and blood responses during exercise at graded hypohydration levels. Journal of Applied Physiology 59: 1394–1401, 1985

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shapiro Y, Pandolf KB, Goldman RF. Sex differences in acclimation to a hot-dry environment. Ergonomics 23: 635–642, 1981

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shvartz E, Benor D, Saar E. Natural acclimatization to work in severe heat. Aerospace Medicine 43 (6): 637–640, 1972a

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shvartz E, Esenor D, Saar E. Acclimatization to severe dry heat by brief exposures to humid heat. Ergonomics 15: 563–571, 1972b

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shvartz E, Saar E, Meyerstein N, Benor D. A comparison of three methods of acclimatization to dry heat. Journal of Applied Physiology 34: 214–219, 1973

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Department of Human Movement, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia

    Brian Dawson

Authors
  1. Brian Dawson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dawson, B. Exercise Training in Sweat Clothing in Cool Conditions to Improve Heat Tolerance. Sports Medicine 17, 233–244 (1994). https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-199417040-00004

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-199417040-00004

Keywords

Search

Navigation