Published on August 23, 2012
Updated on February 13, 2018
It’s not unusual to see athletes pouring water over their heads after a workout, but does it offer any benefits to the body? Researchers at California State University conducted a study to find if there are any actual benefits to pouring water over one’s head during a hot workout.
Researchers gathered 10 well-trained athletes, fitted them with heart rate monitors and temperature gauges, and had them walk and run in a laboratory heated to 92 degrees. They then examined each runner’s body temperature and athletic performance with and without water.
The research indicated that dousing water on the head will not make an athlete perform better, but it will make exercising in the heat more tolerable. Daniel Judelson, a professor of Kinesiology at California State University, advises that if you enjoy exercising outside and have access to chilled water throughout your workout, it will benefit you to pour it over your head as well as drink it.
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