For hot weather training tips, look no further than the examples set by the Okinawan karate-ka. It's hot and humid there year round. Here are some specific examples of things to do/look out for in your summer training...
Get outside! Training outdoors is great for several reasons. You get fresh air, sunshine, and the variety added by training in a less controlled environment. For example, you can see how your stances are on uneven ground (or while wearing shoes). Practicing kicks and/or kata in waist deep water is also a very effective training exercise.
Stay hydrated. Make sure to replace the water and nutrients you are losing as you train. Water and electrolytes are key here. Even if you don't feel thirsty, be sure to have at least one water break per training session. (Note on electrolytes* The most common one especially in sports drinks, is sodium. Sodium isn't the best electrolyte. See my previous posts for other electrolytes).
Connect your home training with your dojo training. One of my favorite things to hear from a student is a sentence that starts like this, "I was working on my kata at home and I noticed something..." This is not only because it shows that you've been practicing thoughtfully at home, but that you are making discoveries about karate and are looking to others to verify, or expand on what
My name is John Opalenik. My students know me as Sensei O. I am a Sandan in Shobayashi-Ryu and have been training for over 20 years.
I am a teacher and a writer in addition to my responsibilities as a Sensei.
Be sure to check previous articles even if you've already read them. I edit the articles to add and include information newly discovered by the author.
*Note* Karate is an art that for many reasons has a lot of information and misinformation out there. While I don't post anything on here unless I get it from a credible source, don't feel argumentative if you have heard information different from what's on here. I in no way consider myself to be anything close to the end-all, be-all of karate knowledge.