Bipin Dani
Ramji Srinivasan, high-performance coach and strength and conditioning trainer of India’s 2011 World Cup team, has issued guidelines for the players to beat the summer heat in UAE.
“Heat acclimatization is the body’s ability to adapt and the response to the Heat issues. The base adaptation takes between 10-14 days , which is already in place with the teams reaching there early.Faster the adaptation better for the players”, he says, speaking exclusively.
However, my don’ts tips to the players are :
· Try not participate in more than one practice per day and not more than 3-4 hours
· Do not wear full gear until day from day one for practise
· On double-practice days, each practice should not exceed 3 hours including stretching, warm-up, cool-down and fitness activity · Don’t not indulge in consumption of alcohol or any other substance with alcohols in it ·Avoid very spicy food during the tour · Do not sacrifice sleep at any point of time ,which is an important factor in recovery process
· Do not neglect pool or ice bath sessions at any cost. My Dos for the players are :-
• Gradually increase the intensity of practice over the course of a few days.
• Increase the amount of sodium in your diet for the first days of practice to make up for sweat salt loss. • Wear light coloured clothing and loose fit for more circulation.
• Use sunglasses with UV protection and glare. • Use sunscreen lotion for protection from sunburn and radiation.
• Check urine colour or specific gravity well ahead of the game or practise session on a regular basis.
• Hydrate well with water and sports drinks at regular intervals. • Have cooling methods available during practice like ice towels, ice bath. • Take breaks frequently to avoid your body overheating.
• Get plenty of sleep the nights before practices. • Monitor Exertional Heat stroke, Heat exhaustion and heat syncope during the match and practise days. • Follow the support staff advice on Hydration and varied recovery protocols..
• When playing in a hot and humid or dry environment, assessment of risk can be made using a Wet Bulb Globe Temperature monitor and chart for each ground or team or in the dressing rooms.
