The sessions are 50minutes each and can be integrated alongside your current cycling, running or endurance training plan.
This stuff works like the poor person’s altitude camp
heat training also benefits athletes’ performances no matter the temperature, as it stimulates increases in blood plasma volume, in much the same way that altitude training does, so your body can better provide your muscles with oxygen. To get the benefits of heat training, you have to do it properly though.
Ride steady in zone 1-2 (50-60% of FTP)
Keep the intensity at Zone 2. The heat provides the training stimulus, not high power output. Going too hard defeats the purpose.
Start with 5 heat sessions per week for 5 weeks
Maintenance Phase: 3 sessions per week for 3 weeks
Your body adapts to heat in a number of ways. You start sweating sooner. You start sweating at lower temperatures. And you lose more fluid, which is a good thing, as it allows you to regulate your body’s temperature better. The sodium concentration in your sweat also decreases, so you lose less sodium, which helps prevent cramps. Heat training also leads to increases in blood plasma volume, which helps your heart transport oxygen to your muscles more effectively. Heat training helps your body to regulate your heart rate during intense efforts in high temperature as well.
Weigh yourself before and after each session and try to finish with the same amount of fluid with which you started.
There is no point doing a shorter heat session. You really do need to keep your temperature up for close to an hour to get the adaptations you are looking for. And your temperature needs to be above 38.5 degrees to benefit at all from the session.
Key Physiological Changes:
Enhanced thermoregulation - Your body becomes more efficient at dissipating heat through improved sweat rate and skin blood flow
Plasma volume expansion - Increases blood volume, improving cardiovascular stability
Lower core temperature -Your resting and exercising core temp decreases
Reduced heart rate - Your cardiovascular system works less hard in heat
Improved lactate threshold -Your body can handle higher intensities before accumulating lactate
Better movement economy -Up to 2.5% improvement in efficiency
Heat training gives athletes a massive physiological advantage that translates directly to:
-Better power output when others are fading
-Improved decision-making under stress
-Enhanced recovery between efforts
-Superior hydration strategies
-Mental confidence in challenging conditions
Science2 sport online course
UCI level 1 accreditation
Started studying Higher Certificate in Sport Science
5 years of Professional racing experience
IG -@johan._.devilliers
📩 johanfouriedevilliers@gmail.com